Making The Headlines
by Sahitya Poonacha
Summary: Two cunning journalists trying to make the cut, wipe out the competition and begin their own reign. They have the brains, they have the ambition and they definitely have the money but...what happens when they report to a stunning boss who has more than just a pretty face and above the average intelligence to put them in line...yeah things get rather dicey in the work place.
1. Chapter 1

**HOW IT ALL BEGAN**

The Potters always made the headlines, almost every day. Everybody always knew what was going on in their lives.

Draco Malfoy sipped at his morning coffee tentatively. The news that James Sirius Potter was caught with his new girlfriend on a drive was front page news and the attempted robbery of the Ministry of Magic's Treasury only covered half of the second page.

He had to stop his subscription to the Daily Prophet but none of the papers were much better except the Quibbler but he would never be able to plough through the crazy nonsense about Snorcacks and Humdingers.

Now if he came across the Potters he didn't know what to ask them, he already knew what was happening it made everything very awkward.

And since he headed the stupid Daily Prophet he couldn't really ignore the issue.

Astoria joined him at the table "So what's the news with the Potters today?"

He looked at her wounded by her taunt "What I'm just asking?"  
He sighed and passed her the paper "I'm going in to work early today, there are quite a few changes to be done to this excruciating paper"

Astoria rolled her eyes "The only reason your paper sells Draco is because of the Potters I think you should be grateful to them"

He spluttered "But this is atrocious, there is world news out there that should be making headlines why do people want to read gossip every morning?"  
Astoria sighed "I think you're just jealous you're not on there"

He said petulantly "I don't want to either, thank you very much"  
She snorted "The one time you did make front page you were quite proud weren't you?"

He glared at her "This is not about me, the Potters are people just like us…I wonder doesn't it bother Harry this much?"  
Astoria smiled "Draco I hate to tell you this but Ginny told me the other day that the Potters don't subscribe to the Daily Prophet except for the Qudditch section"

Draco gaped comically, he had no whim of this news and Astoria began clearing the table grabbing his empty coffee mug too he whipped around in his seat watching her disappear into the kitchen "But Ginny works for us!"

He heard dishes clanking in the sink and she replied "Yes but only for the Quidditch department not for the rest of it? You might want to review her contract"

He made up his mind, Daily Prophet was going to change.

Later that morning Draco had called for an emergency board meeting in his office. All the work was halted and the top journalists rushed to the board room afraid that there was going to be a big problem.

Draco Malfoy stood at the head of the long glass top table with sixteen hopeful wide-eyed investors and journalists staring at him like he was going to kill one of them.

"So….." he rapped his fingers on the table his grey eyes clouded over "Who writes the information on the Potters? I want to know exactly who this magnificent human being is"

They all exchanged looks of relief mingled with fear and suspense.

A lady wearing a red blouse and a grey pencil skirt stood up hesitantly "Sir….I can call him in if you like?"  
Draco stroked his chin and nodded, she left as quickly as possible.

While she was gone, a pudgy faced man asked "Sir….Why are you interested in the writer is there a problem?"

Draco looked at him and the man almost ducked under the table "Yes, yes there is a problem….our newspaper is relying on gossip to make sales. It is a problem"

The journalists wiped their brows, their mainstay in the market was gossip and if they didn't have that they didn't have much to offer.

The woman who had left returned with the culprit.

Draco watched eager to see the fool's face and then almost burst an artery.

The vein in his forehead twitched threateningly when his eyes landed on his own flesh and blood who looked quite confused and bored with the conference.

The journalists groaned mentally prepared to flee if the situation required it.

Scorpius Malfoy stood confidently before the room then said "Good morning, I was asked to come in immediately is there an issue?"

The nonchalance in his voice made Draco want to strangle him "Mr. Scorpius are you the one writing the articles on the Potters? Under a pseudonym?"  
Draco picked up that day's copy and shook it vigorously reading the name of the journalist "Mary Higgins my foot!" He threw the paper across the room at his son's head and the said boy caught it in time "Uh…yes"

Draco wanted to leap and wring his neck "What is the meaning of this?"

Scorpius answered unconcerned "I thought it would increase the sales of newspapers and it has"  
Draco groaned "All of you are dismissed until further notice, Malfoy I need to have a word with you"

Scorpius stayed back as everyone filed out of the board room eagerly looking over their shoulders to watch the family drama.

When the room had emptied Draco asked him "How can you be providing inside information to the firm on your best friend and girlfriend's family? Aren't you a least bit ashamed? You are using them without permission to further your career! This can be potentially destructive!"

Scorpius smirked and picked up a paper weight examining it "Oh Dad, you worry too much, Al's in on it, after all he works here too, he helps me. We're both Mary Higgins, if you notice the writing style it changes when you come to the middle of the article"

Draco felt his thoat go dry he had no idea how his son could be more of a Slytherin than he was and still end up in Ravenclaw, well he supposed being sneaky did need intelligence.

Scorpius continued with that ever present smirk "Relax it was all Al's idea, we needed a really big front page head liner something the people were dying for and it came to him…..gossip!"

Draco had always known those two boys were ambitious, always a cut above the rest. Queer in their manner of going about things, yes but very up to the mark.

Al the heart breaker who worked purely on coffee and brains and never indulged in much of a social life except for the library was a plotter and instigator right from the start. Given a choice he'd marry his own intelligence if the opportunity came his way.

Scorpius was the suspicious and witty one but always calm and collected, his need for perfection far exceeded his need to please people.

Morally they were both severely lacking, they had no love for rules and norms, they bore no shame in stooping to the lowest level and never apologized, _never apologized_.

Scorpius looked at his father amused by the older man's gob smacked expression "Tell me you're not happy with the money rolling into your pocket"

Draco said indignantly "We are not a Gossip magazine!" He slapped the top of the table and Scorpius sat down in one of the chairs his aristocratically done up hair falling into his steamy grey eyes and slim fingers playing with the engagement ring on his left hand "We could be, if you pleased, there's no shame in it. Real news is real news but gossip is something else, people thrive on gossip…..don't you feel a little shocked when you hear of a scandal inside the ministry? Or your own workplace? It's what people are looking for…..More than fifty per cent of the population loves news on celebrities, men and women. If we widen our gossip pages we can fit in more of it"

Draco considered this "We can make a separate magazine, a separate set that only talks of the gossip and remove all of it from the main paper"

Scorpius's grey eyes glinted like their entire gossip set up was a plot for getting farther in the publishing world"That's what I am talking about, problem solved, it's what we were pushing for"

Draco asked his son "But isn't it dangerous?"

Scorpius laughed "Of course not, Al and I will figure that out, you just get us the resources Dad and the people"

Draco nodded still doubtful "But on the condition that it's big, I will not have my investment run into losses"

Scorpius winked "Mary Higgins is here to stay and she is going to go international"

Draco was slightly terrified of his son's mind he had been quite proud on producing a genius when the healer had pronounced his towering IQ but soon he realized how his son could be an evil genius in the making, uncontrollable too.

Scorpius looked at Draco "Is that it then? We'll work out the details soon enough Father. Al and I will meet you in your office tomorrow at this time with our contract"

Draco could hardly say a word before Scorpius strode out the room.

Next morning Draco was continuously wiping his brow with his hanky while scrrutinising the wall clock hung in his office.

He didn't get much done in his worry about the contract.

He'd had nightmares of two youngsters taking over his life.

When a knock on his door resounded through the room he jumped gripping the armrests.

"C-Come in!"

In came two startlingly good-looking men in crisp suits and styled hair, all corporate and professional.

Draco felt shabby in comparison.

They sat down without Draco's permission and the black-haired one with a firmer jaw and a silent emerald stare that dissected any being in front of him pushed a scroll towards him.

Draco put out a shaky hand to accept it he said "Good morning boys"

Scorpius "Good morning Father"

"'Morning Mr. Malfoy" said Albus Potter.

Draco read through the contract, nothing out of the ordinary much to his relief until he came to the bottom of the scroll " 'Forty percent of the sales will be credited in favor of the Daily Prophet Group and sixty percent will be transferred to the Mary Higgins' Magazine'…What?! Surely we must get more than that?"  
Al said "I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy but our magazine will need sixty per cent, you will see that for yourself. The contract will be reframed in three years and until then we implore that you allow us our way"

He made it sound completely innocent but Draco wasn't a stranger to their minds he'd seen them in action and he knew that if he didn't get out of this now he'd be bound for the rest of his life.

He put down the scroll "What ensures the success of your magazine on such a great scale?"

Scorpius offered "Well for one thing when Mary Higgins articles began appearing in the paper the sales of the Daily Prophet shot up by a staggering seventy per cent, that should be enough assurance. In all honesty I worry for the main paper now that we're going to be a subsidiary"

Draco glared "You two talk big but I give you three years to show me results and after three years we'll see if the contract will be rendered mute or not"

Al smiled a slow smile "Then it's decided, isn't it? Sixty forty?"

Draco nodded sharply "For now and all decisions regarding your magazine pass through the person of my choice"

The smug expressions slipped off the youngsters' faces.

Scorpius said seriously "We _are_ going to be the ones responsible for the subsidiary aren't we?"

Draco met his son's gaze "Of course there's no question regarding that but there will be someone overseeing you, surely I can't let two new joinees run an entire subsidiary on their own"  
Scorpius gritted his teeth "But we don't need supervision, we are perfectly capable of handling decisions ourselves"

Draco pushed the contract towards them "Then I can't allow this, I must suggest that you look for an opportunity elsewhere"

Al looked at his aghast friend and then said "We agree to your terms, we're willing to have a supervisor. Whoever you choose"

Scorpius stared open-mouthed at his friend but Al didn't acknowledge him.

Draco smiled and lifted the quill to sign the contract "Congratulations boys"

Scorpius didn't have any words to speak while Al shook his father's hand.

Draco said "One minute…"

He stood up and then went to meet his assisstent.

When his father had exited the room Scorpius looked at his friend "You do realize why my father is doing this? He'll be able to micro-manage us. Al we can never be able to do what we please"  
Al smirked "Scorpius….relax after all your father is going to put another human in charge of us and all humans have weaknesses"

Scorpius looked uncertain but sighed "You better know what you're doing"

Al nodded "Oh I always know what I'm doing"

Draco returned and sat down in his seat "Just a moment"

When there was a knock on the door, Draco said eagerly "Come in, come in"

The door clicked open and Draco's grin widened, the boys hadn't turned to look behind them but when they heard the click-clack of heels behind them and the feminine voice "Yes Mr. Draco, I believe you called me in?" They turned simultaneously in their chairs and before them was a girl not older than them, she had long brown hair and wore her collared shirt and trousers with style, she wasn't as tall as them but tall enough to impose her presence and with the high heels she could pack a good height. She was slim and well-kept. Her graceful neck and pale blue eyes made for a marvelous sight.

A light sheen of make up was all she needed and without it she would still look wonderful no doubt.

Draco said "Yes Ms. Carlson, I did call you. Remember the assignment I talked about it yesterday how you'd be the top boss of a subsidiary, well meet your juniors"

Al didn't like the sound of 'juniors' but kept his mouth shut.

The two of them stood up and a smile of realization took its place on Ms. Carlson's face "Vera Carlson, pleasure to meet you"

With brief eye contact she shook both their hands firmly as they introduced themselves.

Al was already calculating, but he couldn't read her as finely as he'd expected and he knew she was studying them too.

Draco said "Vera was your fellow student at Hogwarts, but she was a Gryffindor unlike you both"

They nodded, Draco clapped his hands "Very well, with the introductions done we can successfully begin the arrangements….."

And so the meeting began. The start of a new subsidiary . Draco looked at the three of them and he was sure when the subsidiary began things around the office were going to get much more interesting than they had been for a while.

Let the entertainment begin.

* * *

**AN: I'm back with an epiphany! I just had a really cool idea and so I penned it down.**

**I have no idea where this is going to go as usual.**

**But this one is going to be way out of my comfort zone.**

**There's going to be less magic and more drama, also loads of humor, but the subtle kind of humor not the obvious goofy kind that I usually write.**

**Also I've given a new avatar to Al.**

**So tell me how you like it? And I don't mind people guessing how it goes, it might even help me.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**OF WEAKNESSES AND MIND GAMES**

Draco was now quite happy with the newspaper he had in his hand, it was traditional in every sense of the word.

There was none of that who kissed who and who went where kind of news.

Serious wholesome news which gave him the tiniest amount of peace, but then he remembered how in a month's time the first daily issue of the Mary Higgins Magazine would land on his dining table and he'd want to burn it before his eyes. Of course he would read it…..after all he was the boss but soon after he'd definitely burn it.

That morning he met Vera, his secret weapon. Vera had been working under cover for the Daily Prophet even during her school days as a student reporter.

During her summer she'd be collecting as much information as possible to put in the Daily Prophet and she could proudly boast that she was the one who revealed the Arithmency teacher's acceptance of bribes in return for grades.

Nobody ever knew she had made the reveal but she knew and that was enough for her.

News to her was a serious matter, a lethal weapon that could change, destroy and better lives all in one.

She liked the hunt for the next big article the wild goose chase for the disguised evidence it was her source for an adrenaline rush.

To some extent she felt like a secret agent.

When Draco Malfoy had asked her to monitor Albus and Scorpius two of the weirdest men to walk on Planet Earth she'd been a little hesitant.

She liked doing field work and being at the ground level.

Unlike many people she knew she was content with her life and happy with the way things were.

But suddenly she was being promoted to being the head of a subsidiary. She didn't want to be a leader of two brainy blokes. She knew they didn't like her because in a way she was a thorn in their hide.

She'd never concerned herself with them in school and had never been on their hitlist.

Her correspondence with the Daily prophet required her to be invisible and so she had been but it also meant that she knew everything that went on in the castle.

Albus and Scorpius had always been the smartest, unbeatable at the top of the student chart and had always been the quiet ones who only chased after success and brilliance even if that meant sacrificing their value systems.

They'd helped students pass exams for a fee, took classes in secret and even sold false memory potions which caused more gas than longlasting memory.

Even though she'd known of their antics she never found the evidence to make an article out of it.

Their business was so well guarded she could never break into it.

Draco told her "Look I just want you to make sure they don't do anything illegal"

She smiled "Sir don't you trust your son at all?"

He scoffed "Of course not"

She looked at the old man "I just don't know if they will enjoy my interference"

He sighed "Oh they will try everything to get rid of you, _everything_ but you have to break them. Just don't let their brains run amok?"  
She nodded "I won't, I plan to make the magazine do reveals, how about that? We can provide true information, we'll get all the latest scoops and the dirt on every famous person"

Draco gave a slow nod "You could, but what about gossip?"  
She rolled her eyes "After a point the readers will get sick of the Potters"

Draco snorted "Vera I hope you do succeed in this task"

She nodded "It's a challenge but I think I can pull it off"

Draco grinned "With style my dear, with style"

Al and Scorp came into the office, there was much work to be done and things to get in order.

Right now they were struggling with getting their new boss to agree to anything.

They moved a step forward, she moved them back by twenty.

Scorpius was reaching his limit with her and her refusal to have things done the way they wanted.

He could have taken it up with his father but he had too much pride for that.

Running a magazine was no mean feat.

Al was rather disappointed that they couldn't rely on his family much longer. Vera promised an article or two on the Potters because it was convenient but she was more interested in running a secret agent association and recruited such people for the job.

As work set off Al and Scorp hardly got a second to breathe.

When a pudgy woman ran up to them and asked "Which font would you prefer between these two?"

Scorpius looked at her viciously "Aren't you capable of taking such a decision yourself or are you running that low on intelligence?"  
She blushed embarrassed and was about to turn away when a strong voice said "It's alright Mrs. Hart don't worry, come into my office and we'll discuss it"  
The woman looked like she'd got a new lease of life. The men threw a scathing look over their shoulders at their boss, Al rolled his eyes when he saw her walk up to them "You must respect our employees, at least they run every decision by you….Did you two send me the first look of the cover to me? Like I asked? It looks like some people are trying to escape hierarchy"

Al told her "It's too late we sent it to the agency for the print of the copy for the Board"

She smiled "Unfortunate well I'll just have to call Marcus and ask him to cancel our order"  
Scorpius stared at her "What is your problem? This is our magazine and you have no part to play in this"

She looked at him with her blue eyes dancing with amusement "This is your magazine no doubt but this is my job, I'm going to do it right"

She walked away "And if you don't respect my position boys you will have hell to pay, that's a promise"

Al watched her go, he was going to have to find the chink in her armor and then widen that chink until she had no armor.

Scorpius said frustratedly "We have two weeks left, we have hardly anything done"  
Al told his friend "Call Marcus and cancel the order, but also call Dwayne and tell him we're going to need him to fill in, we're not going to waste time pleasing her"  
Scorpius nodded.

As they sat in front of her in her office waiting for the verdict on first look of the cover Al noticed there was nothing personal on her desk no personalized cards or little charms, no sign of a photograph.

It was like if she left nobody would know she had been in the room previously.

He saw her biting her lower lip while scrutinizing their selected cover her hair done up in a loose bun.

He noticed her serious blue eyes scan the page and then she looked up "Well, it's alright, I guess, you worked on every point I told you to. This will do fine"

Scorpius smiled "We're glad you liked it"

She looked at him "No you're not you're just glad you don't have to please me with this anymore"

He smirked "Spot on"

She shook her head "I also had to tell you, we're working on a big budget, the investors are willing to pump in the money, we just have to deliver. We have two weeks, let's see how far we can push the envelope. Also all the work in the magazine will be anonymous nobody puts their name anywhere. I'm going to review the content tomorrow"  
Al said "No, what we're going to do is edit the content and then submit it to the publishers"  
Scorpius nodded.

She laughed "I'm sorry to burst your bubble but we're going to select and review the content, ok?"  
Al looked at her "If we get any farther back on this we'll…."

She cut him off "Shut up, time is of the essence so let's not argue and let's just work fast"

Al didn't like her and if he let her walk all over their ambitions he'd have nothing left to call his own.

Albus Severus Potter was made of something other humans were not made of, something alien almost.

He didn't blunder about society like his brother who lived a life that Al despised. His sister followed in James' footsteps with no concern for dignity.

Al right from the start was ignored, left to his own devices. To add to the peril of being quiet in a loud family he hardly enjoyed Quidditch, he preferred muggle sports.

It was not that he was afraid of flying, it was just that in his family it was just too much madness.

He didn't like madness, he liked order, he liked perfection.

If there would ever come a day when Albus took an impulsive decision he'd have to change his name and go into hiding.

He'd never concerned himself with being polite or patronizing. He had a pride that couldn't be tamed. He couldn't engage himself with emotions, it was too much of a hassle being sensitive and caring.

Scorpius Malfoy on the other hand liked the comfort of emotions but depended on his mind to make most decisions.

He loved his family he loved boundaries but he loved his ambitions too.

He was the spoilt brat, the only child who'd grown up on a bed of roses. Talking about roses, if there was one person with whom he was more human than he actually was it was Rose.

But otherwise he was almost exactly like Al.

Scorpius always knew that he was made for great things, Al helped him see it and constantly helped him achieve greatness.

In the realm of the mind these two men were supreme overlords.

So when Vera came into their lives and began throwing water on their fire they needed to eliminate her.

And they didn't mind if they played dirty.

Scorpius told Al inside his office "I'm going to find out her history, there's got to be something we can use"

Al shook his head "History won't help us. If she has taken up this job and she knew us then she'd be dead careful. But if we can't completely rid ourselves of her we'll have to use her"

Scorpius sipped his tea, he disliked coffee, disliked it more than his mother's accursed cat and that was saying something.

Scoprius nodded "But she works for father"  
Al smirked and Scorpius had come to love that smirk over the years because it meant Al had struck oil in the mine of ideas.

"We're going to play her to our tune. And for that we need a little bit of persuasion, and we need to be nice"

Scorpius groaned "We're not exactly famous for being nice"

Al stood up straight "Being nice is a frame of mind, it's an act Scorpius"

Scorpius nodded "For the magazine then"

That evening Vera chose to walk rather than apparate to her flat. She loved the rain, she loved the grey clouds and she loved the kind of feeling she got from it.

She wasn't afraid of the water dirtying her clothes and the cold, in fact she loved it.

On her way home she made a stop at the grocery store, she knew the man who ran it and she loved that she led a mostly muggle lifestyle it was her cover.

Inside the store she called "Good evening Larry!"

The old man called from over the counter "Vera Good evening!"

She grabbed her basket and began her shopping methodically.

She had always taken care of herself. She had always been on her own, ever since she could remember. Her parents had left her on the doorstep of an orphanage as a baby and she'd grown up there until she was whisked off to Hogwarts.

She never minded the loneliness, in fact it made her stronger.

More muggles than wizards knew she existed and that was the life she preferred. She had no idea if she was a half-blood, pure-blood or a muggle. She had no identity and she had a few friends but they were all muggle.

She still visited the orphanage every now and then to see the new children and chat with Francesca the woman who'd taken care of her.

Being independent was easy, there were no tangles, no heart break and betrayal.

She made her way to the counter passing Larry the commodities for billing "Good day at work?"

She asked eyes shining "When is it not?"

He smiled the wise smile he usually did "You should get out more Vera, meet a few boys too, it would be good for you, get some sunlight"

She grinned "Well if you look outside you'll see there's not much sunlight to go around"

He shook his head and handed her the bill "At your age I never stayed at home, never had responsibility"

She picked the brown bags and hugged them to her chest "Yeah well I have a job so that's out of the question"  
She waved and was off back to her flat but on her way out she bumped into someone coming in the opposite direction.

She let out a tiny scream when the groceries crashed to the floor.

As oranges rolled out of the torn paper bag she cursed and then turned to glare at the tall stranger behind her but she saw he was already at the counter not caring. Larry called "Don't worry Vera I'll have it replaced"

She ignored him and tapped on the shoulder of the tall being "Excuse me!"

He turned, she was glaring at Albus Potter. It took her a second to find her speech but when she did she said "Can't you watch where you're going?"

She bent to pick up a bottle of ketchup at his feet and he watched her "You are such a….ugh….Larry I need some help"  
She began picking it all up and Larry helped her while Albus watched them then she looked up getting to her feet "Jerk"  
She strode out with a new bag and new oranges.

He walked up next to her "I could help you with those"

Her arms were hurting but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction so she just ignored him.

He continued to walk with her, the rain kept them both silent.

When she struggled to hold her umbrella and her groceries Al rolled his eyes and forcibly pulled the umbrella from her hand and held it over her head for her.

She walked in huffy silence not willing to speak to him.

In her hurry to get away from him she tried to cross the road but missed sight of the red pedestrian sign, he pulled her back roughly on to the pavement when a car whizzed by honking madly, he told her "Look who can't watch where they're going"

She told him "Look go away, give me my umbrella and leave"

He looked at her with a stern stare "You clearly need help with this"

She told him hitching her grocery bags higher "A simple sorry could suffice, you don't need to walk me home"

He told her "But it was your fault as much as it was mine"

She shook her head and was relieved when the light turned green she began crossing the road and let him follow her all the way to the end of her street then she pulled the umbrella out of his hand "Thank you, now you can go"

He nodded "You're welcome"

He left without a glance and she stood there, what was his problem? Why had he followed her out of the store without buying anything?

Had he been following her to the store? Was he trying to find out where she lived?

But why? What did he want?

Albus went his away and apparated back to his and Scorpius's flat. He hadn't found out much about her like he had thought he would.

But he did know she was the friendly kind who didn't get out much and that she was like every other girl who is strong and independent but then when one thing out of the ordinary happens they get flustered.

She'd been good, strong and angry until he had asked to help her. She did have a weakness, chivalry.

Not many people had offered to help her it seemed and she hated to apologize too.

She believed she was strong but Al knew she wasn't and that was enough for him to have leverage over her.

He knew exactly how to get his way, he'd have to bring out the emotions he kept hiding and if he couldn't bring the emotions out he'd have to fake them.

She was messing with them, now he was going to mess with her.

* * *

**AN: Let's see where this goes.**

**Tell me what you feel about this, it's the only way I can keep true to the direction of the story.**

**Okay, review.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A CHANGE IN THE WIND**

When Vera walked into her office next morning she was suspicious to find the two boys who loathed her give her a curt nod and wish her good morning.

Though she replied with pleasantries of her own she was definitely not accustomed to them being polite.

They did everything that was asked of them with little argument, held doors open for her and made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

They had to choose and pick the content for the issue and the discussion went by smoothly.

Although they did offer reasonable inputs they didn't oppose her. It wasn't a battle like it always was with them.

Vera didn't know what to make of their changed personalities.

So she took it to the man who might be able to clear the air for her.

Draco Malfoy glanced up when Vera peeked into his room "May I enter?"

He smiled "Of course, what's going on up there?"

She sat down "Sir, they're being nice to me"

He leaned forward intrigued "But you told me that they positively hate you"

She nodded sighing "That's what I don't get, they were perfectly cooperative today"  
He grinned "It's a ploy my dear, they want to give you a false sense of security"

She said "I know nobody changes out of the blue like that, it's too fishy"

"Whatever you do don't let your guard down, push them to breaking point. If they're being nice you be smarter and get more work done. Don't trust those two"

She looked at him "I won't, by the way we did choose the content and the cover's ready"

He nodded "Good good…..you just keep working like you are and those two won't stand a chance"

Al and Scorp were in his office with their newest version of the extendable ears.

Scorpius gasped "She has us under her thumb"  
Al grinned "Well we'll see who'll fool who"  
Scorpius said to him "Somehow I feel like we're going to do something really wrong"

Scorpius then looked at Al with an evil glint in his grey eyes "I did some finding out and guess what?'

Al looked at him waiting and Scorpius said "She's an orphan she lives alone and she worked for Daily Prophet as a student writer from the age of fourteen but she stayed under the radar, the articles she wrote had no name of the reporter she's been digging up dirt since she was really young"

Al nodded his mind processing the information while Scorpius continued standing behind his desk "She doesn't associate with wizards too much. Nobody knows if she's a pure-blood, half-blood or muggle. I guess she's never had much of an identity. We knew almost every student at Hogwarts, even if we didn't bother them we knew them but we had no clue who she was"

It was interesting, Scorpius was correct. They didn't know she existed a week ago, but how could they have not? It was almost like a joke.

Al hated when he missed something and if she had to stay so hidden from them she must have to be very intelligent because Al didn't believe in luck.

Their competition it seemed was of their caliber.

Vera stepped back to her floor and called the attention of every one present in the office, work was halted while Vera told the crowd with clasped hands "Sorry to interrupt your work but there has been an announcement from Draco Malfoy"

Scorpius and Al exchanged looks, they hadn't heard anything of the sort through the extendable ears.

She said looking at the crowd that had gathered "Our dead line for the first issue has been moved up to Saturday next week and this means we really have to move fast. We already have a lot done, we just have to get all our hands together and make this happen. Bring your best. Back to work!"

The crowd dispersed engaging in whispered conversations about the sudden change in plans.

Scorpius burst into Vera's office a few minutes later and slammed the table with his hand "What…..the…hell are you trying to do? How much is Dad paying you?"  
She looked calmly up at him "Mr. Malfoy I must ask you to maintain decorum, sit down"

He shook with fury "Quit the act, you don't care about the magazine you care about the money you're getting for sabotaging our magazine"

She looked out her window "I do care about the magazine, it definitely has potential but we're going to have to pull out all the stops"

He asked trying to maintain his temper "What are you playing at what has my father conspired? We had a plan, you're doing everything in your power to ruin us"

She said sharply "Your idea of ruination is skewed, I'm paving the path of greatness for you. Mary Higgins Mr. Malfoy is your creation and I will never take the credit for it but don't you think it's a little silly to be relying on a customer base of teenage school girls to make sales? Isn't it reasonable to make a magazine that will move the entire England if not the world with some of the best reveals?"

He closed his eyes and let out a breath "We'll end up closing down, we'll get one issue out and then shut down do you think it's easy to make numerous reveals at once? After all you were a student reporter for Daily Prophet you made some astonishing reveals, you've put a few people in jail you tell me how hard it is"

She was shell shocked he knew, he knew it all. Scorpius Malfoy knew how to pull a trigger and when.

His ambitions were not going down the drain because of her.

She ignored him and continued "I was hoping we could scrap the plan for a daily issue and make a monthly issue instead. Offer lifetime subscriptions. And then impromptu reveals could be made through the month, the ones that are small through a simple newsletter to keep the readers hooked. We work separately nobody will know who we are. Make everyone here sign a secrecy contract which will keep them anonymous writers and even we will be anonymous. This is my offer"

Scorpius stared at her, how could she be so undeterred when he knew about her identity?

Was this her façade?

He told her "I'm not going to say that's a bad idea but this magazine was our idea, our creation"

She stood up and walked towards him "But don't you think it could be improved?"

He shook his head "This magazine was supposed to be temporary and if I told you more I'd have to kill you"

She smirked just as evilly as the boys "If you told me I could help you but right now you both are the ones with the lower hand"

Scorpius' jaw clenched "Just because my father has put you in charge it doesn't mean that you can top Al and me. You couldn't reveal our dealings in school, all of it was illegal and you know it. And you won't be able to now. Why don't you pass on the message to the old man?"

She smiled "I didn't have the resources I have now and now I have you two in chains"

He scoffed "I love your false sense of power. You can put the tiger in the cage darling but can't tame it"  
She smiled holding a finger up then pointed at herself "But you forget that I have the keys to your cage, so my advice is….behave"

He turned to go "Don't get too cocky"

She smiled "I won't don't worry"

He walked out leaving her there wondering how much these two knew about her. They'd use everything against her.

If she let down her guard even once they'd rip her into bits.

She had to find out what their plans were, even if it meant getting in with them.

If only her unexpected twists would keep surprising them until she found out exactly what their deal was.

She'd failed when she was fifteen but this time it was so on.

Al and Scorp were losing every little bit of control they had to the nightmare of a woman.

Their tempers had reached boiling point.

They couldn't do anything to beat her soon enough. She was slowly pushing them far from their goals.

A temporary magazine was suddenly becoming a permanent thing.

Their plans were turning into dust.

It had seemed so easy in the beginning to take over every magazine and newspaper out there to create and empire of their own but it now felt like they were going to end up being a secret subsidiary for the rest of their lives with no credit to their name.

How were they to reach the top after signing a secrecy contract which would strip them of the limelight they had aimed for?

Anonymity was not something that appealed to either of them, they'd grown up in famous families they knew nothing but limelight.

Without it they wouldn't have any of the advantages they had.

They loved taking credit even if it was not theirs to take but they hated someone else stealing their credit.

They were a breed of hypocrites of the highest order.

The day at the office came to a hurried end but work needed to get done with the new deadline a few days away.

Vera had had a tough day.

She was leaving the building when Albus sidled up to her "I have to have a word with you"

She gave him an unimpressed glance "It can wait till tomorrow"

She tried walking away from him but he caught her hand bag and pulled her back "I said I had to talk to you"

She glared at him "Mr. Potter this is a work place and I will not tolerate this behavior. Now you're going to let my bag go and I'm going to go home and you will go wherever it is you loiter at this time. I will see you in my office tomorrow at ten"

He let her bag go and she left out the doors.

A little distance away from the building Albus stopped in front of her and she almost bumped into him, she stepped back away from him and his stern eyes "What the hell?! I told you to leave me alone"

He stepped closer to her "This isn't the office"

She said "Ok I'm listening what is it?"

He looked over her head at the building then said "Come with me"  
She shook her head "No I'm not stupid enough to do that, I'm going home"

He warned her "Then I'm going to have to invite myself over for dinner"

She wanted to slap him "Look Potter I have had it up to here with you and your best friend. I'm going to get angry and then I might have to go to Azkaban for killing you so just save whatever you have to say for my office tomorrow"  
He told her "You don't understand it's important"

She asked "Is it about the magazine?"  
He answered "A little bit"

She rolled her eyes "A little bit isn't good enough so I'm sorry I can't help you right now"

He took hold of her hand and before she could protest said "I'm sorry that I have to do this"

He apparated them to an alley somewhere in the middle of nowhere and she would have hit the ground if he hadn't had her hand in his.

She furiously pulled her hand away "Are you planning to kill me? I wouldn't put it past you!"

He smirked amused by her temper "Unfortunately no"

She waited and he said "I like your plan better, I really do"

She laughed "Okay something is seriously wrong with you! You brought me here to tell me that?"  
He continued ignoring her "Look I'm willing to work with you, because if I have to gamble on one of you that is you and Scorp I'd put my money on you"

She didn't trust him in the slightest "What do you take me for? I'm not buying it Potter, so you're going to feed me some bullshit and expect me to let you destroy me?"

He shook his head in shock "No! I'm saying the truth"

She smiled "I'm no stranger to lies. What do you want? It's better if you're straightforward, it suits you"

He looked at her and smiled back "I want you to rely on me to carry out the magazine like you want….no strings attached"

She looked at him "Rely on you? I know a double crosser when I see one"

He smirked "You do your reveals and whatever you want, whatever you want. But….."

She chuckled "I love the sound of a catch"

He ploughed on "But….I want you to let Scorpius and me to take credit for it, to let us communicate with the investors and call the shots. You do the magazine the way you want secrecy contracts and everything. The magazine is entirely yours we'll approve every decision you make we give you complete liberty. But we do the talking and we get to have the connections. We'll have a contract ready for tomorrow. We'll be call it…silent bosses. I assure you, you will still be communicating with Draco Malfoy. You'll be commanding the workforce. The only change is that you get a paycheck and not a percentage of profits. Think about it you'll have a magazine of your own kind with no one to stop you. We'll keep out of your way….."

She was amazed with his brain.

She couldn't see the little holes. She racked her mind but she couldn't see any hidden agenda.

She said "You basically just want to be at the top but I still get all the power? You get the limelight and I get the entire creative freedom and resources"

He nodded "Sounds about right, we can work out the finer points. I'm sure you'll do a great job without having to argue with us every day. We'll stay out of your way"

She said "I-I need to think about it"

He smiled "Of course….whatever you need"

She looked at him suspiciously and he told her "You don't have to trust me, but do I look like a man who goes back on his word?"

"No but you're a man who can twist anyone's words" She retorted.

He smirked "Ah you caught me"

She told him not amused at all "I'm leaving now"

"No one's stopping you"

She was about to apparate when he said "You like being invisible? Now you don't have to worry, you'll always be"

She paused and for the first time she didn't appreciate her invisibility, she wanted to be seen.

But then again she knew no other life.

When she left Albus felt relief, he'd been successful. If he couldn't get rid of her he could still overtake her.

She could have the magazine, he didn't give a shit about that but he needed to reach the top and no one could stop him from doing that.

Check mate, in this peculiar game of chess the Queen was the target and the King was the one with all the power and that's how it was supposed to be.

* * *

**AN: I'm getting nothing as a reaction to this story.**

**So I'm going to have to ask seriously, should I continue it? Because I really don't want it to be a boring read.**

**You can always let me know in a simple PM if you don't feel like reviewing. But this is just a question. No offences taken whatever your answer will be because nobody has to like everything I write.**

**I don't want to disappoint anybody that's all. I know it's a bit serious but I guess my tastes are just a bit different, I'm a little bored of writing romantic comedies. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**"MY BLACK EYE CASTS NO SHADOW, YOUR RED EYE SEES NO BLAME"-Florence and the Machine(Kiss with a fist)**

Cleaning gave Vera a sense of peace. She scrubbed the kitchen surface dry. Even though every speck of dirt had been cleaned she continued her mind thinking back to her little chat with Albus Potter.

She wasn't convinced, wasn't convinced by his proposal.

No matter how tempting the offer she would have to tread carefully.

She knew not to trust the two of them.

Finally she put the dishcloth down, shut the kitchen window and turned off the lights.

She climbed into her bed and stared at the grey shadows on the ceiling, the sounds of the city filling her ears.

The loneliness had never gotten to her but that night was different.

She closed her eyes to let sleep keep her thoughts away.

Al was in a better mood the morning after his dramatic proposal. He'd sat up all night to draft a contract.

Scorpius had lauded him for his genius.

Al was geared up to turn the tables and he knew that nothing could go wrong.

When the time for the meeting arrived they waited in the board room for Vera to enter.

She did enter and she looked serious.

Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail and her make-up barely there.

She sat down at the head and said "Good morning"

They both replied in unison "Good morning"

And the talk began.

Vera remained silent throughout Al's speech nodding where required.

After a point when she thought she'd heard enough she asked "How much of the profit do you want?"

The two of them were surprised.

She said breaking the silence "All of this is fine, but I'm asking you how much?"

Al smiled politely "Ten per cent for both of us he gets five and I get five"

She nodded slowly "So have you thought about the fact that if we make losses you'll have to share that too?"

Scorpius nodded "Yes of course"

She sighed "So the subsidiary gets fifty per cent?"

Al nodded "Yes, that's how it will be"

She held her hand out for the contract and read it thoroughly leaving no line out "Oh so I don't have to run my decisions by you?"

Al said shrugging "I promised you….anything you want"

Scorpius grinned, she then pronounced "And have you taken up this sudden transfer of power up with Draco Malfoy. This means the contract you signed with Draco Malfoy will be made redundant but the term of that contract is three years. You might report to me but apart from me he signed that contract too. Have you got his permission?"  
Al said "This is between us"

It was her turn to smile she put the contract down, it was of no use now "Legally it's between the three of us…..you're breaking the code of transparency of contracts of the Daily Prophet Group"

She pulled from her file the copy of their contract "Ahem 'We allow Mr. Draco Malfoy complete ownership of our subsidiary and will hereby deem him responsible for any transfer of powers, roles, positions and duties within or regarding the subsidiary….' Well Ravenclaws it seems you missed something, I will leave this contract here for your reference, I have plenty of copies should you ever need them. It's been a nice meeting. Sorry for your disappointment"

She left with a spring in her step.

When she left, Scorpius picked up the stupid contract and read through it, he looked up at a still Albus who seemed petrified.

"Okay so…..we're screwed"

Al was not pleased, not at all pleased.

Draco Malfoy and Vera laughed sitting in an empty board room because they had found out about the extendable ears.

Draco looked at her "You really are the right person for the job"

She looked at him "I would have taken it, I would have signed it but this morning I found the copy in my handbag and read it for the heck of it and managed to save myself"

Draco told her "They're not going to be happy"

"Yeah well I don't care" They laughed again.

Draco shook his head "I didn't think they'd go to such lengths"

She said back "They are rather manipulative"

Draco warned her "They're scoundrels the pair of them not a single cell of decency in their bodies. You be careful yeah?"

She assured her superior "Sure Sir I don't go down that easy"

Albus was massaging his temples letting slow breaths escape him. He had to think, for the first time in his life he doubted his own intelligence asking himself 'What is wrong with you?'

How could one woman…No not a woman a _girl_ have found a loophole in his plan?

Albus had given her everything she could possibly want, hell he'd given her the entire magazine but she had turned her head away because it was just slightly illegal.

Why couldn't they create subcontracts?

Why couldn't they twist the words of the contract and have just signed the proposal no one would be harmed.

Scorpius told him later on "You rushed too soon"

No he had not he refused to believe it.

When Vera knocked on his door he stared blankly wondering what she wanted with him now.

He nodded and she entered looking around the pristine office.

She took a seat "Why don't we put aside our rivalry for now and just make the magazine work?"

He leaned forward and peered at her "Exactly who do you think you are?"

She told him "Let's see….your boss, will that do?"

He smirked looking down at his table "I've kept my lips sealed about the problem….but not anymore"  
She brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled "Yes you've been silent. But you've been following me, making proposals and overhearing conversations with extendable ears haven't you?"

He held her gaze "You like to think you have the upper hand"  
She retorted "And you like to believe you have it even when you _don't_"

His eyebrows drew in and he kept calm "What do you get out of stopping us? What do you want?"  
She shrugged "Nothing much, limitless satisfaction, lovely entertainment and quite a heavy salary so life is good yes"

He laughed with sarcasm and intrigue "You really don't know who you're messing with do you?"

She grinned "Don't pull that line on me, you both are just spoilt rich kids who want a little bit of attention and pretend to be all introverted and mysterious. You're screaming for attention Albus Severus Potter even if it means selling your family's secrets"

He glared at her "You speak fancy, I'll give you that. You make me sound more dramatic than I actually am, thank you. But see, I'm not after my family's attention I'll be damned if I ever am. I'm after the position, the control and the power oh and the money too"  
Her grin widened "I didn't suggest you wanted to gain the attention of your family, you assumed that yourself. I'll tell you why you're after all that….because all your cousins and siblings are famous, famous not because of their parents but because of their own actions. You're not famous you're just there overshadowed by towering personalities"  
He turned away from her "Assume what you want"

She asked "So that's your ambition then? To climb to the top?"

He nodded "You might as well know rather than snoop around to figure it out"

She crossed her legs "Say you reach top? Then what?"

He looked at her then smiled "Then what? Then I don't have to do anything, I'll already have everything I ever wanted"  
She sighed "That is so boring I was hoping you'll talk about world domination or something with the kind of brains you have very well to each his own"  
He hadn't told her everything of course and she knew that too. She could pry all she wanted but she wasn't getting squat.

She seemed to have understood that she'd pushed her luck too far "Look at the time….I'll leave you to…whatever you were doing" She indicated at his empty desk before walking out the room.

Al sat back in his chair, she was a smart one and if she hadn't given herself her away in that last try at persuasion he might have even told her exactly what he had planned.

She knew her game, she also had a wind of his.

It was time to lie low and let things rest before he made the next move. He needed to throw her off.

But it was not going to be easy, she was going to tail their every move. She was going to sniff them out like a hound. How could he escape her? And it came to him just like that, maybe his mind hadn't completely crashed yet. If he was on her side she'd never sniff him out.

Days went by like seconds, nothing out of the ordinary took place at the office. Vera's suspicions though still present had taken a backseat.

The boys had reached a silent awkward truce with her. Focused more on the magazine the three of them directed their energy and frustration towards articles and ideas and it seemed to work wonders for their minds.

Each brilliant mind concerned only with the magazine without worrying about each other for a change.

Draco's cheerful nature if he ever had one had returned. He now felt like his life was settling down. His son might not be trustworthy but seeing him work hard inspired some respect in Draco's heart for him.

Vera did keep him updated but there wasn't much that needed discussion.

Vera decided one evening in her office room that she needed a break from all the work. After all the next day was to be the day when their first issue came out.

She needed to cool off and do something she hadn't done since she had taken up the job.

Thus, she decided to do a little shopping for herself, treat herself to something nice.

When she arrived at the mall she felt much lighter, thoughts of Albus and Scorpius no where in plain sight.

She liked clothes and shoes, she liked flowers and she loved furniture not that she had space in her flat for it. Mostly she just looked at the price tag admired the pieces and kept going but on this fine day she finally got the courage to buy the expensive interesting things.

Under the weight of the things she carried she struggled to walk over to a restaurant. At one point she just gave up and put down the bags near a wall and stood wondering how she was going to make it back home like this when a pretty red haired girl came over "Hey you need some help with those?"  
Vera turned around "Uh...um...no I'll manage"

The other girl rolled her eyes "Come on, let me help" She had wonderful, kind blue eyes and the kind of look doctors usually wore when they wanted you to feel comfortable.

Vera was helpless when the girl picked up some of her bags making her job easier.

The girl said "Oh by the way I'm Rose, I'd shake your hand but..." Vera smiled "I'm Vera, don't worry"

Rose asked "So what's all the shopping for?"

Vera sighed blushing "Just felt like it after a long day of work"

Rose laughed shaking her head 'Tell me about it"

Vera asked to keep the conversation going "How about you? What brings you here?"

Rose looked bored "My fiancee told me he'd meet me here, but then called and said he's running late. He almost always does this"

Vera nodded like she could understand but she couldn't, why did people remain in relationships where there wasn't a hundred per cent guarantee?

She asked "So when's the wedding?"

Rose's eyes lit up "We decided on December, a winter wedding, what do you think?"

She had no opinions of weddings, so she said awkwardly "Oh...great, congratulations!"  
Rose smiled and then held out her hand for her to see her ring, a sparkling diamond one which looked too familiar for some reason.

Rose told her "It was my idea to get matching rings but his is a little bigger"  
Then Vera knew where she'd seen the same ring, on Scorpius' finger at work.

She was talking to Rose Weasley, the long time girlfriend now turned fiancee of Scorpius Malfoy. Vera felt like fleeing. But she also couldn't understand how a girl like Rose was so nice yet with a person like Scorpius who barely had any emotions or ethics.

It was safe to say she didn't understand love.

Vera asked "Are you Rose Weasley?"

Rose looked startled and then she blushed like she'd been caught "Um yes"

Vera felt increasingly uncomfortable "Well um, I should go, I'll take my bags, have a great wedding"

Rose told her "No wait, why do you look so shocked?"

Rose didn't let Vera's shopping bags go and Vera said "I work with your fiancee, I'm his boss..."

Rose's eyes widened "You're the one he's been plotting the death of!"

Vera almost laughed when she heard that but kept her composure "Uh yes..."

Rose laughed "This is great that I finally got to meet you, he never told me your name. The way he talked about you you'd think you're a monster"

Vera smiled nervously "Yeah so I should go before he gets here"

Rose waved her off "Oh hush, I need company and I like you Vera...um what's your surname?"

Vera said "Carlson"

"Ah, alright then, want to catch a bite I'm starving. So you must be Al's boss too..."

And so the conversation went, Vera found herself finding Rose and Scorpius more and more dissimilar. Rose could be a great friend but Scorpius needed to be thawed.

Vera took the seat facing the door so if Scorpius walked in she'd be the first to know and she'd be able to make an escape.

There was something very wrong about enjoying the company of your reportee's fiancee.

Rose asked her "Are you in a relationship?"

Of course not she hated the entire idea of it. She shook her head and Rose said "That's a shame the men are being deprived of some seriously good looks"

Vera smiled shakily and Rose said "I can set you up with my cousin if you want?"

Vera choked on her cold coffee "No...please...I'd rather not"

Rose laughed "I wasn't talking about Al you dirty girl...I was talking about Louis or Fred"

Vera shook her head vigorously "No thanks"

Rose sighed "It's your loss, they're great blokes"

Vera said "I'm sure they're great but I just don't want to be in a relationship right now"

Rose asked gently with understanding "Bad break up?"

Vera smiled "Look at your face...no actually I'm just not ready for one"

Rose shook her head "Well it's up to you after all. I like you we should stay in touch after this"

Vera didn't really think that would be a good idea but smiled nonetheless.

Rose said excitedly "Hey you know what we could do something together some time"

Vera asked "Won't your fiancee mind?"

Before Rose could answer a voice said from behind Rose "He will"

Both Rose and Vera looked up into Scorpius' seething glare.

Vera felt her heart sink, she stood up "It was great meeting you Rose"

Rose asked her alarmed "Hey where are you going? Sit down"

Vera shook her head "I'm sorry, but this is just too much for me and him I'm sure. Rose we don't get along, that meeting will have to wait"  
Scorpius told her "Trying to wheedle out information about me from her are you?"

Rose pinched Scorpius' arm "This is a restaurant and she hasn't asked a single question about you"

Vera stayed silent and Scorpius "She will when she gets close enough, I don't want you talking to her"

Rose looked aghast "Scorpius what are you saying? You're being really rude"

Vera sighed and picked up all her bags and managed to stand straight "Thank you for the conversation Rose, I had a nice time. Bye, See you at work Mr. Malfoy"

And she was off.

Scorpius barely looked up taking a seat next to Rose. Rose gaped at her fiancee and immediately stood up and followed her out she caught up to Vera "Hey wait"

Vera stopped and told her "Go back before he comes out here. Rose you're getting married to him I don't want you to fight because of me"

Rose looked at her "A fight every once in a while is good for us and he's being a jerk. I'm not going to call off the wedding because of this but he's going to have to learn that I can choose my friends. You know I don't have a single female friend"

Vera said tiredly "But he hates me"

Rose shook her head "I don't care, he clearly doesn't know you well enough, come on give me those bags"

Vera was going to protest when Scorpius approached them and told Rose "You've said your goodbye now come on"

Rose glared viciously at Scorpius "I didn't say goodbye to her, I'm going to help her with her bags and take her to her house and you're going to think about what an idiot you are"

Vera said alarmed "Really there's no need for that, I can manage you stay here..."

Scorpius turned on her "Shut up! Stop pretending like you're frikking innocent, you're turning Rose against me now too? What's wrong with you? If you really don't need help then just get lost! Leave us alone! Nobody wants you here understand!?"

Rose grabbed Scorpius by his arm, people threw him looks that clearly signified that they weren't pleased with his behavior.

Vera walked away trying to keep her composure and dignity, she wasn't going to yell and scream.

When she was out of the building Rose found her "I'm really..."

Vera finally broke "ENOUGH!"

Then she apparated to her flat panting. She threw her bags on the floor in her bedroom and just fell onto her bed.

She was the reason why all relationships ended. When she was old enough to know the truth Francesca had told her what had really happened. Her mother had died giving birth to her and her father had refused to take her from the hospital leaving her there for the orphanage signing her up for the fate she had survived.

Nobody knew what happened to her father after that, she had never tried to find him and Francesca had said that the orphanage couldn't track him down when they'd taken her in.

Nobody wanted her, that was true enough but Francesca had said "You grow up and be a good person be true to yourself and you'll know how beautiful it can be to be you don't ever think your life is a punishment"

If only that was true.

* * *

**AN: Still nothing, but I assume then that you all want to read it, so here goes nothing.**

**Vera is a good character, and Scorpius is annoying.**

**You can tell me what you think.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**"IT'S WHO WE ARE, DOESN'T MATTER IF WE'VE GONE TOO FAR"-IMAGINE DRAGONS(Who we are)**

Al watched his cousin and friend throw murderous looks at each other over the dinner table.

He continued to eat through the awkward silence in the tiny dining room.

Rose eventually decided she'd had enough "Al where does your boss stay, I overheard your conversation with Scorpius ?"

Al stared at her raising an eyebrow "Am I allowed to ask why?"

Scorpius growled "Because she's possessed"

Rose threw her napkin in his face.

Al took a deep breath and watched Scorpius' purple face glare at Rose.

Al told Rose "Okay I'll tell you"

Paying no heed to Scorpius protesting he told Rose the address. Mostly he wanted to get her out of the house so they both could cool off and he'd be able to wheedle the information out of Scorpius.

Rose slammed the door on her way out.  
Scorpius looked at Al "Really?!"

Al crossed his arms "I'm going to give you a beer and you're going to tell me the entire story"

Scorpius glared at his friend "For the beer"

Vera was interrupted during her thorough editing of a submitted article of some new journalist hopeful by the doorbell.

She looked at the clock, it was late for anybody to visit.

She sighed and pushed her chair back standing up in her pajamas and loose bun.

She opened the door to Rose Weasley.

She gasped "What are you doing here?"

Rose drew her jacket over her shoulders and stepped into the apartment "I wanted to apologize"

Vera massaged her temples "How did you get my address?"

Rose answered "Albus"

Vera groaned and shut the door "I assume you're going to be here awhile"

Rose pulled her jacket off and smiled "Yes, how are you?"

Vera looked at her "I'm fine, see I'm used to Malfoy's attitude"

Rose told her conversationally "You should just fire him"  
Vera looked at Rose blinking and then they both started laughing "Wow you're really mad at him"

Rose nodded "He was out of line"

She dropped herself onto the couch and Vera sat down too.

Rose asked "So you just live alone here? You don't share with anybody?"

Vera nodded looking around her tiny one room apartment "Never felt like staying with anybody else"

They looked at each other each woman hiding their own secrets.

Rose said "Scorpius and Al are like brothers and they mostly keep information to themselves so I can't help you if that's what you want"

Vera smiled "I like to keep my work at my work place. I would be nice to them but they don't give me much of an opportunity. I never had any intentions of using you. All I want to do really is stay out of their way at least outside the office so we can live in harmony"

Rose asked "But don't you feel like killing them? I know I do"  
Vera raised her eyebrows at the admission "If I am honest at times I do feel like killing them but it's alright I guess"  
Rose leaned back and told her "It's Friday night, don't you go out or something?"

Vera laughed "Not really I'm a workaholic"

Rose smiled "I'm not, but my problem is I'm not social"

Vera grinned "I'm that too"

Vera stood up "I was going to make myself some coffee want some?"

Her visitor scrutinized her like one of her patients "Coffee before bed?"

Vera laughed "I was editing an article so….."

Rose shook her head "How many cups of coffee do you have a day?"

Vera answered confused "Six sometimes seven?"

Rose nodded slowly "Strong? Decaf?"

Vera crossed her arms "Strong?"

Rose raised her eyebrows smiling "Dreams, nightmares, lethargy, exhaustion is that why you drink it?"

Vera rolled her eyes walking into the kitchen Rose followed her "None of your business"

Rose smiled like she'd struck gold "Ah so I'm right? When did you start having this much coffee?"

Vera pulled out a mug for herself "Stop diagnosing me"

The two of them stood in silence as Vera made her coffee. Rose told her "You know if you had more friends or stopped working too much you wouldn't need so much coffee"  
Vera looked at her "What makes you think I have a problem with my life?"

Rose laughed and played with a spoon "I don't think you have a problem with your life, you accept it but I don't think you like it"

Vera poured her coffee into the mug "Rose you don't know me"

The red-haired healer waved it off "Scorpius tells me the same thing a hundred times a day"

They walked back to the couch Vera's article forgotten.

Rose asked "Okay I won't pry into your life but why do you three not get along?"

Vera let out a low whistle "It would be dangerous to tell you what goes down when you know you play for the other side"

Rose laughed "I'm the referee spill"

Vera told her about how the whole rivalry started.

Rose looked impressed "Interesting I didn't think news was so hard to put up"

Vera nodded "You have no idea"

Sitting there chatting for once without having to think too hard, without having to read into sentences and keeping her guard up comforted Vera.

Rose she realized was much more open than her. The girl clearly didn't mind telling her everything and anything.

Vera mostly listened because she didn't have too much of an interesting life but seeing her night go so differently made her a little happier.

Finally Rose yawned "I should get back, it's quite late"

Vera stood up and walked her to the door "You didn't have to come here and apologize"

Rose touched her shoulder "I couldn't let our meeting end the way it did. I know Scorpius touched a nerve with you in the mall. I'm not like him and I promise I won't interfere with your work. Thanks for telling me the truth"

Vera nodded "I have no qualms about it"

Rose waved as she left and Vera shut the door smiling.

Next morning Vera woke up in panic and excitement.

She ripped her covers off and raced towards the kitchen window to let the owl in. Her stomach tossed and turned in excitement.

She paid the owl and took the newspaper and the additional magazine that had come with it.

She resisted the urge to squeal when she saw the glossy cover.

Biting her lip she discarded the newspaper and found an envelope slip out of the magazine.

When she recognized Draco Malfoy's handwriting on it she quickly opened it smiling and read his congratulatory note-

_Dear Ms. Carlson_

_I'm proud to present Mary Higgins Magazine's first issue, congratulations!_

_Your hard work and you're unrelenting strive have paid off._

_I read the first issue and I'm impressed. While I expected enough gossip to clog my arteries I am relieved to find the kind of news that the world deserves to know._

_The Daily Prophet is happy to hone the talent of writers like you. I want you to work with the same dedication in the future and I'm quite sure you will._

_Best of luck and congratulations again._

_Hope you have a wonderful career ahead!_

_Yours Sincerely_

_Draco Malfoy_

_P.S. I love how you turned their plans around._

She jumped up and down in happiness.

Her hair was all over the place.

She put the letter down and began skimming through the magazine, her heart swelled with pride.

The society she was sure was going to be gasping and tripping over limbs to get their hands on a magazine that went inside the working of the Wizarding World and pulled the shadiest secrets out.

Vera could have cried, they'd worked so hard to make this magazine successful.

Rose was eating her sandwich and looking at the magazine, Scorpius entered his blonde hair sitting in a golden mess.

He pulled out a bottle of cold water from the fridge and looked at Rose, they hadn't talked the previous night he'd stayed up late waiting for her but she refused to speak with him.

He looked at the magazine and remembered the issue.

Without much sensitivity that someone was currently reading it he pulled it out from underneath her nose and began reading it.

She protested "Hey!"

He stared at it, he felt like crying and smiling at the same time. Crying because this was not what he imagined it to be and smiling because it was finally done.

Rose rapped her fingers over the table anticipating him to realize at some point that he'd interrupted her reading.

When he didn't she got up to get ready.

Albus knocked on the front door and was greeted to a glaring Rose again she rolled her eyes "Tell your friend that I'm mighty pissed"  
He asked her pulling off his running shoes "You can do that yourself can't you?"  
She peered at him "If I could why would I ask you to?"

She crossed her arms and walked off.

Al shook his head, if they were going to start behaving immature he was going to move out.

He walked into the kitchen sweating and looked at the magazine in Scorpius' hands.

Then he saw the forgotten envelope on the table with Draco Malfoy's handwriting on it.

He saw that this one was addressed to Albus only.

He glanced at Scorpius and began reading it-

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_Congratulations on the first issue of the Mary Higgins Magazine. It is a truly astonishing success._

_Your sincere efforts have paid off and I hope you continue contributing to the organization with your work, you have proved yourself to be an asset._

_Here's hoping to many more issues of the Mary Higgins Magazine._

_Tell my son to come meet me at the Manor._

_Yours sincerely_

_Draco Malfoy_

Albus couldn't understand why everybody was using him as the messenger.

Scorpius asked "What is that?"

Albus held it out to him "A letter from your Dad oh and Rose is mighty pissed with you"

Scorpius threw the letter down and snorted "As if I didn't know already"

Al asked "Why do you think he's called you to meet him?"  
Scorpius shrugged "Every once in a while my father remembers he's supposed to love me and decides to bond with me"

Al smirked "How's the magazine?"  
Scorpius shrugged "It's good, will turn a few heads for sure but clearly we're not getting any credit for it so it makes no difference to me except that it was our hard work and our idea"  
Al picked up the magazine gingerly "Well it's better than what I had imagined, she's done a good job"

Scorpius just stared at his friend " What. The. Hell? When did you start complimenting the freak of nature?"  
Al looked at Scorpius "Come on, clearly she had better ideas. We'll have customers we never had before"

Scorpius shook his head "Wait a second you're actually interested in making this magazine better in remaining in this hell hole for the rest of your life"

Al shrugged nonchalantly "We can push it to a great length and then suddenly cover the whole industry like a shadow nobody knows. Think about it"  
Scorpius sighed "But with her, her on top of us"

Al smiled "If we bring her in on our side we can eventually just keep her where she is and control her"

Scorpius ran his hand through his hair "When did our plans change?"  
Al grinned "When our opponents changed"

They looked at each other, and Al said "We have to gain her trust, allow her to think we're her friends not her enemies. We have to convince her Scorpius, like we need her. And we do need her if we want to move up"  
Scorpius groaned "So this means I must let Rose be chummy with her and treat her like a human being"  
Al nodded absent-mindedly turning a page of the magazine "Precisely"

Scorpius wasn't convinced "She'll never buy it"

Al laughed and Scorpius raised his eyebrows "So we're going to be genuine, honest and open like she wants us to be"  
Scorpius cocked his head to the side "We're going to tell her the truth?"

Al nodded "In bits yes, it's not lying if she doesn't ask"

Scorpius' laughter betrayed him, he'd never trade his friend in for anything. Yet somewhere inside him something unsettled him. He could lie and play game with anybody but the one person he couldn't play games with was Rose. She always knew if he was playing a game.

This time he'd have to hide the truth from her too.

Scorpius only had one line he ever drew only one part of him that bore all the values and that part of him was Rose's. When it came to Rose he couldn't lie, couldn't be the robot he was.

And even as he laughed Al could see in his eyes the worry and the concern of hurting Rose.

Albus didn't understand their relationship but he knew it mattered to them so he respected it and acknowledged it.

He said gently "We'll leave Rose out of it Scorp"  
Scorpius looked up hopefully "Can we?"

Al nodded "What Rose does and who she associates with is none of our business we only care about one person in this situation"  
Scorpius was considerably relieved "I'm a weakling when it comes to her"  
Al knew Scorpius was right so he stayed silent, he wasn't going to cry over spilt milk. Scorpius had chosen love above everything else even his ambitions and even though it set Albus back it wasn't something he could solve so he let it be and worked around it like the average person.

Vera wanted to treat herself for some reason. She wanted to do something she had never done before.

She had a whole two days to enjoy her success.

But she had no idea how to enjoy herself. She visited Larry at the store and sat by the counter with Larry behind it "It doesn't take a genius to enjoy themself"

She groaned "You have any friends Larry?"

Larry smiled "None that you'd appreciate, why don't you go meet Francesca?"  
It was true, but she didn't feel like it. She shook her head "I don't know it's not something I want to do today"

Larry blinked like he'd had enough experience to change the world "Don't separate yourself from your roots Vera, it'll be impossible to survive"

Vera said squirming "It's just that I wanted to do something young for a change"

Larry laughed "I knew you'd come to your senses at some point"

Vera blushed "I've missed out on a lot, even without my parents I was a goody two shoes. Know what I mean?"

Larry suggested "You can get a tattoo? I got my first when I was sixteen"

Vera thought about it "I don't know, it's too permanent"

Larry shook his head as a customer walked in "Sometimes permanent things are good for us helps us know that there might be something eternal out there"

He readied his counter for the billing, she said "But that's the thing, nothing really is eternal"

Larry winked at her "Ah but you'll never know if you never try"

She asked nervously "But if I fail?"  
Larry looked back at her "But what if you find it?"

She scoffed "It's not good to be this optimistic"

Larry rolled his eyes and took a deep breath "How would you know? You've never tried"

She couldn't argue about that. She felt like she'd had a rude awakening of some sort.

Like she'd been a deep peaceful sleep and suddenly she just fell off the bed.

Was it okay to be optimistic?

More than anything she was afraid of the disappointment.

And more than that she was afraid she'd be the one disappointing.

With Larry's statement ringing in her ears she decided to go in search of something eternal.

She had found that secretly Rose had left her address with Vera without her noticing.

So Vera went to the address walking in the gloomy weather to find the apartment.

When she put her hand up to ring the doorbell she paused over the button.

Hesitating she blinked to calm her nerves 'how would you know? You've never tried'.

Even if she was going to be disappointed, at least she tried, right?

She pressed the button and hoped to God things weren't as disappointing as her mind made it out to be.

The doorknob clicked open and her heart leaped for cover into her throat.

Her mind had melted away into an abyss.

She licked her lips furiously, losing the feeling in her fingers. Panic flared up within her and her breaths came out erratic. When the door opened a tall personality was revealed none other than Albus Potter.

As she met his eyes her whole world spun around her.

She swayed dangerously.

Vera had never done this before, she had never stepped over her boundaries, never made the first move in a friendship.

She couldn't do this. With an overload of panic and a violent nervous breakdown she fainted like a dead log backwards.

Al was surprised to find her on the other side of the door but when he saw the fear in her eyes and the sweat dribbling down her forehead he knew something was wrong.

When she fainted he left the door and acted purely out of impulse catching her around the waist as she fell unconscious.

She was limp in his arms totally boneless.

He shook her trying to wake her but she was out cold.

Thinking little of it and confused out of his wit he easily lifted her into his arms and carried her into the apartment kicking the door shut behind him.

He stared at her beautiful, pale face a few brown strands of soft hair falling over her cheeks innocently.

He let out a huff of air and took her to the couch setting her gently on it.

Rose came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea in her hands.

She saw Al setting Vera down on the couch, unconscious.

She set her mug down on the table and rushed forward "What happened?!"

Al peered over Vera's frame and then looked at his cousin startled "I don't know, when I opened the door she panicked then fainted"

Rose went to being a healer in a hear beat she knelt down beside Vera and took her jacket off.

She told Al "Get some water, she'll be fine she just got a bit stressed"

Al walked into the kitchen and came out with some water and handed it to Rose.

She sprinkled some water on her face and shook her awake.

Vera's eyes opened slowly her vision blurred. The first thing that came into focus was Rose's concerned face.

She groaned and shook the blurriness out of her eyes "Hi, good morning"

Rose smiled "Hey are you okay?"

Vera blushed "I-I-I came to see you, I panicked when I rang the doorbell and then it was just too much for me"

Rose sighed and then said gently helping her sit up "It's alright, I'm glad you came to visit"

Vera looked around and her eyes landed on Albus' stern gaze "Hi?"

Albus rolled his eyes "Nice way to say hello"

Then he walked into his room. Rose shook her head "Ignore him, why'd you want to visit?"

Vera felt uncomfortable as she squirmed on the couch but managed to say "I just wanted to hang out with someone….."

Rose laughed happily "I'm glad you came here, let me finish my tea and we'll go out. I was going to spend my Saturday glaring at Scorpius otherwise"

Vera asked worried "You're still fighting over me?"

Rose rolled her eyes "No we're not fighting per say, he's just too proud to say sorry. But until he apologizes to you about what he said I'm not letting him off the hook"

Vera groaned "Let it go….I don't need his apology"

Rose said forcefully "You don't but I do"

Vera shook her head and followed her to Rose's tea cup, she asked "So what's the plan?"

Vera shrugged and Rose smiled "Let's just go with the flow then"

Vera laughed, Rose said her eyes lighting up "By the way congratulations on your magazine, great job. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next issue!"

Vera smiled and put her hand out to shake Rose's hand and Rose stared at her "You're kidding"

Then she pulled Vera against her will into an one-armed hug "Congrats"

She let her go and Vera was too stunned to speak, Rose said "Relax it's just a hug and I'm a healer I tend to be squeaky clean"

Vera just sighed defeated.

Neither one of them saw Al listening to the conversation in the doorway.

He was only interested in understanding Vera Carlson and her behavior proved that she was more than a puzzle he could take forever to figure out and still not succeed, she was the missing puzzle piece and if he understood where she went he could solve the entire puzzle.

* * *

**AN: I don't know about you but this is a real cool chapter, at least I had a blast writing it. It's quite intense.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I PULL YOU PUSH, YOU AND I THE SAME THEN DIFFERENT TOGETHER WE BREAK AND THEN MAKE**

**WHO AM I? WHO ARE YOU? CAN YOU TELL?**

"Where do we go? Unless you actually want to hang around the house? I doubt you would" Rose asked her rinsing the cup over the sink and setting it in it.

Vera stared out of the little kitchen window "I really don't know, I'd hoped you'd have some interesting ideas"

Rose sighed "How about we just sort of….."

Vera stared at her expectantly and Rose shrugged "I have nothing"

The two of them spent their time cracking their skulls over what to do. Both of them weren't keen on going out of the house.

Half an hour later they were seen playing monopoly at the dining table very intently.

Rose yelled "You cheat! I saw that! Put the note back!"

Vera frantically saved herself "What I exchanged a fifty for two twentys and a ten! I swear!"  
Rose glared "Shut up and put it back!"

Vera knew she'd cheated but she needed the change to pay Rose's stupidly high rent and she was the banker.

She hated losing and then Rose said "Ok I'm done with this game, you cheat way too much"

Vera began laughing "I don't cheat"

She'd never had so much fun, in fact she'd never played Monopoly before.

Rose had been too surprised to hear it but had taught her the game, there was really not much to it and the fun was really in cheating.

Al emerged out of his room looking at a glaring Rose banging the table and Vera almost falling off her chair laughing Rose said "Ughh! Cheater cheater cheater!"

Vera was grinning and stuffed her fingers into her ears "La la la la la la!"

Albus raised one eyebrow and walked over to them "Keep it down will you two?"

Rose looked up at Al pouting "She cheated!"

Al said angrily "Just shut the racket will you?! I don't care about the stupid game!"

Vera's blue eyes gleamed and she told Al "We're having fun"

Al said politely "Then take your fun outside my house"

Rose told him "It's my house too"

He shook his head at her "Just shut up, is that so hard?"

Vera asked "What are you doing holed up in your room anyway that requires silence?"

He looked at her "It's none of your business"

He walked stiffly back into his room and shut the door with finalty.

Vera looked at Rose and Rose looked at her with the same expression Rose asked "Exactly what is he doing?"

Vera asked pointing to his door "Is he always like that? 'None of your business'?"

She sighed "Yeah I've never been in his room"

Vera nodded "Aren't you ever curious?"

Rose gasped "Always"

Vera smirked biting her lip "Then let's do it"

Rose leaned forward "You're not serious!?"

Vera giggled "We're bored, I'm not his biggest fan and he is really suspicious and I'm probably the biggest sneak on this planet"

Rose shook her head "It's too dangerous, he'll flay us alive"

Vera shrugged "I'm up for it if you are"

They sat planning their incredible scheme. Vera finally nodded to Rose after chalking out the entire plan.

Rose stood up nervously "I've never been a great actress"

Vera patted her shoulder "You can do this, I'm sure you can"

Rose nodded then she stood up and yelled "Al! Al! It's Scorp! Al!"

Al immediately opened his door looking scandalized "What happened?"

Rose said frantically "Scorp! He sent a patronus, telling me to send you to the Manor immediately! He didn't tell me why or anything but he sounded really urgent. Al you have to go and you have to find out what happened there!"

Al looked at her seriously "What?!"

She nodded convincingly "And….and he said don't apparate or floo, you have to go there the muggle way. He doesn't have a phone so you can't call him also he said not to send a patronus. I'm so worried!"

She began shaking and Vera concernedly put and arm around her shoulder "It's okay, I'm sure it's nothing"

She looked at her and kept telling herself not laugh "Nothing?! How can this be nothing?!"

Vera looked at Al who looked horrified, he grabbed his car keys from the bowl "I'm going…..Rose…" He didn't know what to say but then he looked at Vera looking anxious "You…You take care of her"

Vera nodded quickly and Al ran out the door.

When he disappeared out the door Vera ran over and looked out into the corridor making sure he was gone before closing the door and then turning to a frozen Rose.

She started laughing "EPIC!"

Rose looked at her "They're going to kill me when they find out! Scorpius and Al! Scorpius specifically told me not to send Al there today morning"

Vera sighed "Hey, it was an innocent prank right?"

Rose shook her head "Okay I'm going to calm down and we're finally going into his room"

She stood up and Vera had never felt so excited.

When they stood in front of the door Rose looked at her "You don't think he's put up a security system?"

Vera would have laughed but Rose was right, this was Albus Potter. So she took her wand out and performed a revealing spell. Albus' room checked out clean. For now they'd have to trust that there weren't going to be unpleasant surprises inside.

Rose held her hand over her mouth and the door opened and Vera eagerly pushed it open all the way.

To be honest they hadn't known what to expect but it was slightly disappointing that they didn't find anything suspicious.

Vera saw that it was quite a normal room with no posters on the wall not cluttered or messy, she understood that he had a penchant for symmetry.

Rose said "Wow…I was expecting something alien"

Vera didn't reply. His bed was made but on it lay a lot of parchment scrolls scattered.

There were no photo frames of photos. His window was open letting in the wind the white curtains blowing in to the room.

The door to the bathroom was closed.

There were no mirrors which gave her the feeling that he was neither normal nor a narcissist.

Everything was clean just the way Vera appreciated like he wanted to erase his finger prints too.

She walked over to the bed and looked at the parchment "What's all this?"

Rose looked at her "Was this what he was working on while we were playing?"

Vera kneeled beside the bed and picked up a scroll unrolling it with anticipation.

If the handwriting was Albus' she was in awe of his precision and perfection because the handwriting was as if he'd been practicing to get it right forever.

Every letter was perfectly aligned, all letters the same size, the dot over the Is right over the line there was a uniformity to it that seemed out of the world.

Shifting her focus from the handwriting to the meaning of the letters she read it.

It was almost a bunch of gibberish to her. It was as if he had been writing a character sketch of somebody.

Making notes. She picked up another scroll to read and saw flow charts, plans but to understand these she'd have to read these in depth.

Then in on lone scroll she came across her name. She picked it up reading with urgency –

_Vera Carlson, competition a namesake boss…_(all sort of bullshit)_…..Orphan, twenty years, student reporter, Draco Malfoy's pet. Weakness-Chivalry, kindness, doesn't understand relationships. Shy, typical human being, manipulative and a control freak….._

He'd written her entire history down, everything about what she'd done, the hospital record everything, her entire life bared for him to read and laugh at. She'd never felt so insulted so naked. He knew her very soul. The reasons for her life and the way she was.

She was pissed, Rose read over her shoulder and gasped "You didn't tell me you're an orphan!"

Vera looked up and then threw the scroll on the bed "I'm going to kill him"

Rose said "Hey wait, you have a lot to tell me, you revealed those things in school? You grew up in an orphanage? Vera? I'm talking to you!"

Vera yelled "Yes! I am! I am an orphan! What do you want me to say!? Whatever's written there is true! But I'm not a control freak! I'm not manipulative! And those are not my weaknesses!"

Rose was alarmed "Hey calm down, relax. We shouldn't have come in here"

Vera pointed her wand at the scrolls and non-verbally duplicated all the scrolls "I'll be damned if I don't make him wish he never messed with me"

Rose was shocked at the length Vera was willing to go to sabotage her cousin "Vera this is under-handed"

Vera turned on Rose "Oh really?! You know what your fiancée and your cousin did in school? Did you ever ask them why Billy Weston transferred schools, why Jenny Karniger came first one year when she'd been at the bottom of the list of studious people? Did you ever ask them what they did in the room of requirement!? No! because you trusted them? Well I didn't! I didn't think I'd ever have to pull you into this shit but I thought you'd at least know the man you're marrying and the things he's done!"

Rose couldn't speak she covered her mouth tears streaming down her face.

Vera walked out of the room and put the scrolls in her bag that she had carried with her.

She was going to leave when Rose stopped her "Wait! Vera, don't go…I know…I know the things he did. He came clean about it….don't you dare say I don't know but what I don't understand is why you'd stoop to their level"

Vera looked at her "Rose I'm not like them, but they are not good people. I can't let them ruin my life which is what I'm sure they plan to do. They seem to think they know everything and maybe they do but I'm not going to be another victim. They are criminals and I'm going to catch them. If they had an ounce of dignity they wouldn't have done this!"

She shoved a sheet of parchment in Rose's face, it contained everything regarding her emotional security, and how vulnerable she was. It disclosed all that they planned to use her for what price she was going to pay.

Rose looked up shocked and Vera told her "You're marrying a man who's going to ruin my life at all costs you can forgive a person for the things he's done but can you forgive a person for the things he's going to do?"

Rose sighed "I'll help you"

Vera was ready to storm out but this threw her off, she faced Rose not daring to believe it.

Rose closed her eyes as if she was in pain "I can't let him make more mistakes or my cousin…..I love them both…I'll help you, anything you want. And you can't tell me to stay out of it, this is my business too now"

Vera hugged her and Rose reacted "I'm sorry, but you can't deal with the idiots on your own"

Vera smiled "I'm sorry, this might put a rift between Scorpius and you"

Rose shook her head "It's not your fault"

Vera said "But what about Al finding out that we made him leave?"

Rose began thinking "There's not much he can do about it"

They shut his bedroom door and made a plan to save their asses.

When the bell rang a hundred times they didn't have to guess who it was. Rose said chirpily "He's angry"

Vera waited for the bomb to blow.

When the door opened, Al burst into the living room "Are you frikking mad?! I called the Manor just in case and Malfoy said he didn't send any patronus and there was no emergency! What were you shitting about?!"  
Rose laughed innocently "Fred called later and apologized for pranking us and you"

Al's green eyes widened monstrously "I'm going to kill him"

Rose grabbed his shoulder "Don't kill him not a good idea"

He shrugged her hand off "Bugger off, and I don't care if there's a frikking earthquake after this don't even bother telling me"

He walked briskly to his room and Rose said after him "Yeah we'll just let you die"

He growled in response and shut his door.

Rose shook her head frustrated "I swear, his temper is going to get him in trouble one day"  
Vera said "It's his problem he doesn't have a sense of humor"  
Rose sat down beside her "He never did as far as I can remember"  
Vera glared at the closed door, how she wished she could wring his neck.

Rose's cell phone ringing she looked at the screen "Oh no it's Scorp" She groaned then she disappeared into her room to take it and bring the situation under control.

Vera was still seething somehow seeing Albus her temper was fueled more.

Al came out of the room to go into the kitchen for a glass of water.

He didn't look at her.

She quietly followed him and stood at the entrance when he was going to exit the kitchen with a glass in hand she said when he stood next to her "You don't have a sense of humor do you?"

He said uninterested "I don't, do I need a lecture on the benefits of having one now?"

She smirked "No but just remember, neither do I, I don't like tricks and pranks either"  
Their eyes locked and Al searched for a clue in her eyes while she just showed him that she knew his every move. He stepped closer to her that was enough for her to stiffen "It's good to know, I'll remember that although I already know?"

She raised one graceful eyebrow "You already know? You've done some research haven't you?"  
He didn't flinch or show recognition "No not as much as I should have. But there are some things about a person that are crystal clear"

This time she stepped closer to him and he didn't move "Oh really? Remember that crystal while clear is also delicate, once it cracks you can't fix it, then you'll lose it all and when you try cleaning the mess up the shards will cut you and cuts as you know bleed"  
He looked down at her "I'm always in awe of you pronouncements, you really are made for writing"  
She said "And you're not so stay out of my territory, you should go into politics"

He smiled slyly "I did consider it, but you see I always like to be the big fish in a small pond"

She scoffed quietly "That's why you'll never play with the big fish"

Albus loved talking to her even if he didn't like her, she always had a comeback. "Save your wit for the future, don't waste it on someone who sees right through it"

She laughed "I'm crystal clear to you right? Then you probably understand why I'm using my wit on you right now, am I correct?"

Al smirked but it was a façade, he had never felt so unsteady like maybe he didn't know what to say next.

"Putting words into my mouth now, you sure do have talent"

She smiled "And you're avoiding the question, interesting"

He looked down and let out a short laugh "You are correct"

She nodded "Ah, strategic ploy. With your tall claims Mr. Potter you really do know very little about me"

Al's head couldn't get around her defenses .

She said "This might help you, with intelligence it's good to have humanity. Helps understand the mere humans"

She had him trapped in this verbal battle, he said "I'm human Ms. Carlson, it's my tragedy"

She looked at him blue on green "It might be yes, and that is your problem. Your tragedy isn't that you are human Mr. Potter, your tragedy is that you don't want to be"

He wanted to glare at her but he didn't "I will use your advice"

"Congratulations on the magazine" She said innocently, he said "To you too"

They stood there staring a t each other, waiting for the other to make the first move and get out of the kitchen.

Vera looked at him waiting and he said "If you're going to be around more often you must understand that I am not going to oppose your presence there's respect in this rivalry"

She knew exactly how much respect he had for her she smiled sweetly "That's really kind of you"

He nodded and made to get out of the room in the process brushing against her and spilling the water on the floor.

They both stared at the wet floor.

He cursed himself in his mind and went to the counter setting the glass down and went to get a mop.

She left the kitchen and was surprised that Rose was still speaking to Scorpius.

Vera began putting away the Monopoly game and when Albus was done he asked "So did you really cheat?"

Vera's hand lingered over the money she was arranging and when she collected herself she nodded.

He helped her put away the pieces and she didn't say anything "I didn't pin you down for a cheater"

She felt herself see red "You don't have to make conversation. I'm perfectly fine with you not talking to me"

He watched her move gracefully around tucking her hair behind her ear and lift the box into her hands "But you're my cousin's friend now"

She looked at him "Don't pretend to be a social and cheerful person"

He shook his head "I am not but this is protocol"

Her eyes narrowed and he proclaimed "You don't have to hate me"

She snorted "I don't hate you, I don't hate snakes either but I won't make small talk with them"

He grinned "You wound me"

She rolled her eyes and proceeded to keep the Monopoly set in the shelf.

Rose came out the room and then said not noticing the intensity between the two of them "Scorpius won't come for lunch and I'm not cooking, so Vera and I are going to go out"  
Vera nodded, Al asked curiously "And me?"

Rose looked at him "Order something home"  
Al sighed "Is it alright if I come with you?"

Rose shrugged "Whatever, it's up to Vera"

Vera was shocked she stared at Al and he looked at her questioningly.

Although she was suspicious she nodded not wanting to be rude.

He nodded "Great, let's go"

Vera asked Rose "Is he alright? Is this normal for him?"

Rose told her "No but we'll find out whatever it is"

Vera told her "I just hope he doesn't die outside his habitat"

Rose sniggered "Grab your pen and paper and start making notes"

Oh Vera would, no doubt about that. Now that she had Rose for a friend she was more confident. Even their families didn't like who they were.

She wondered how long it would take for the two men to realize that they were only hurting themselves by putting their brains to all the wrong uses.

Then again maybe they'd never realize it and would destroy themselves before they did.

* * *

**AN: I had to really think to write this one. But it is what it is**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I BREAK SO YOU CAN FIX ME**

Vera tried to drown out the silence between the three of them with the noise of the traffic.

Rose kicked a stone loosely before it hit a screeching cat.

Albus was aware that they didn't like him there and that maybe he had made a decision too quickly. Lately he seemed to be rethinking everything he did.

Rose finally said "I'm going to say what's on my mind, this sucks"

Vera nodded in agreement Al sighed "Not my fault"

He pushed the door of the restaurant open and didn't bother to hold it open for Vera who followed him.

She jumped before the door could hit her in the face. Albus didn't look back but Vera was glaring daggers at his back.

Rose shrugged "Lesson of the day, don't walk right behind Al"

Vera looked at her and Rose looked sympathetic.

Sitting at the table Vera played with the end of her napkin and she caught Al staring at her when she looked up he slowly turned his gaze away from her unlike anybody else who'd startle and look away embarrassed but he didn't hide the fact which she found slightly creepy.

Rose scanned the menu "Ummmm, okay….I think this is what I'm going to get…"

Vera ignored her.

She felt the weight of the scrolls in her bag. When three young girls entered the restaurant and took the table beside them she noticed them giggling and continuously looking at Al who was busy looking out the window, disinterested.

She could see why they'd like him but his beauty was skin-deep.

Rose stood up "I'm going to use the ladies room"

Vera nodded and watched her go.

She turned back to the table and then Albus said casually "Everyone's in a hurry, always in a hurry"

She watched him and breathed the tension in the air.

He looked at her "Don't you think?"

She asked surprised "Oh you wanted an opinion?"

He nodded smiling like he liked what was going to come, she sighed heavily "Well consider yourself don't you want to get somewhere as fast as possible? Somewhere high up?"  
He nodded "I love the sarcasm as always"

She told him sipping on her soda "You seem rather chatty today"

He sat back comfortably in his seat "I suppose it depends on the conversation for me"

She considered it "Are you telling me you like talking to me?"  
Suddenly he was thrown off and the smile slipped off his face and she smiled "Not so easy to say the truth is it?"

He looked at her "Do you love to end the conversation on an awkward note always?"

She shook her head "Just with a few very cocky dastards"

He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips "You don't lay it down gently do you?  
She shrugged "What's the point of doing so?"

"I suppose it sort of prevents the water spilling out of the banks makes a smaller splash" he told her.

She drew a finger around the rim of her tall glass "Well I'm a reporter, a journalist, a bigger spill and a bigger splash is what helps me earn my bread"

He let out a short laugh and she saw Rose walking towards he table "I like to separate my work from my play"

She said setting her elbows on the table top "My work is my play"

Rose joined them "I see an intense discussion"

Vera leaned back as Rose took her seat "Idle chat is all" Al looked at Vera before slipping discreetly back into his thoughts.

Rose began telling her about one of her patients and Vera noticed that though Albus was listening to the conversation he liked observing more than actively taking part.

Then Vera said "Everybody is searching for time, they'd do anything for more of it. Is it not?" She looked pointedly at Al as the waiter began setting their meal before them.

Albus looked up at her his hands hovering over the knife and fork "Depends on the individual and the situation"

Rose smiled "Yeah everybody wants to live longer"

He shook his head "No they want to live longer only when they realize that they might have to die but rest of the time they all prefer death to the lives they lead. Humans are hypocrites, drama queens"  
Vera nodded "I actually agree with you"

Rose said "That opinion is morbid"

Al scoffed "Morbid to the optimist"

Rose glared "I'm a realist"

Al said swallowing his bite "No you confuse yourself with me"

Vera actually snorted involuntarily. Al looked at her fascinated that what he said invoked such agreement from her. He never thought it possible.

She met his eyes with a light blush which she wanted to blame on the air conditioning but knew she couldn't.

He smiled mysteriously. Rose said "You agree with him? Well there's a miracle in every corner I suppose"

Vera looked at Al seriously "Only similar minds can comprehend each other"

Al looking smug, turned back to his food "I hate to say it Ms. Carlson…."

"Vera…call me Vera"

Silence followed. She blushed furiously and Rose had an expression of wonderment on her face. Al asked curiously "Why am I promoted to first name basis?"

She glared at him "I don't particularly enjoy being referred to by my last name, I only allow my superiors at work to call me by Ms. Carlson"

Behind his faint smile she could see his seriousness, he didn't like being reminded that he was working under her.

She ate and he said "Very well then….You may call me Albus, simply because I don't like my father's surname. Now where was I? Yes your mind and my mind are very different Ms….Vera you would know that"  
She didn't like the way he dragged her name out like he was spewing poison out of his system.

"I said similar, not same"

He laughed his shoulders jumping "Always quick on your feet"

She said back "You make it sound like we're boxing"

He said his jaw tensing a very ignorable gesture but she knew the significance of it "Isn't it? Or is it something else that I missed?"

Vera asked "Something else…? Are you hinting at something…..Albus?"

He laughed when she said his name with difficulty "Hinting at something? Pray tell what?"

Rose waved her hand "Ohhh, it's getting hot in here, let's just cool it"

Vera looked at her like she just realized that Rose was in the room then she blushed furiously.

Their boxing match had resulted in a draw. The way they danced around each other was graceful but dangerous.

She couldn't get carried away with him, because she knew his reality and his reality was not her.

Al ate keeping his embarrassment to himself. He had intended for her to be uncomfortable not to have fun and actually want to prolong the conversation.

For some reason he had never imagined he'd ever find someone, especially a female someone who could beat him or leave him pondering very word.

They'd reached a weird milestone, first name basis seemed like the point of no return in their plot.

Al looked at her bent head quietly eating her food nodding to Rose's chatter. How could a girl who was so smart be this human? Everything about her was delicate, beautiful and emotional yet she had such a strong fort.

He wondered, could he use her like he first imagined? Did he actually want her on his team?

He blinked sternly at his food, he wouldn't fall victim to the feelings he never felt.

Leaving the restaurant was relieving. This time Vera walked in front of Albus and let the door close in his face.

He didn't enjoy the experience and when she say the grin waiting to split on her face he walked on with his dignity not wanting to give her the satisfaction that she had driven her point home.

Rose sidled up to her "You know you're going to kill him if you keep annoying him like this he'll burst in the effort to hide his irritation"  
Vera smiled smartly watching his back "That will be the highlight of my life…..imagine the headlines 'Albus Potter Explodes, Wounded Pride and Scarred Ego! Ministry Claims our Hero is Vera Carlson'"

Rose laughed "I'd read that article"

Vera nodded "So would I"

Albus glanced over his shoulders at the laughing girls who sobered up, he didn't know what they were talking about but their sneaky smiles suggested that he was the new hot topic of conversation.

Halfway back home Rose got a an emergency patronus from Mungo's asking her to come in. She groaned frustrated "Shit I'm going to apparate….I'm so sorry"

She looked at Vera who shook her head "Go, I'll see you sometime"

Rose smiled thankfully and apparated with a wave that left Al and Vera alone in the middle of a dark alley together, he looked at her his hands buried in his jacket pockets.

Vera let out a breath of air "There's no point going to the apartment then, I'll just go home"

Albus asked "You don't have other friends"

She hissed "None of your business"

He said "Touchy subject then"

She glared "I'm going home"

He stopped her "We can go for a walk"

She laughed in his face uncontrollably surprising him.

She laughed loudly and said wiping a tear at the corner of her eye "A walk with you?! That's the ultimate joke!"

He bit his tongue to keep the curses locked away "I'm being polite"

She nodded "And suspicious"

He was not amused, he turned around and kept walking. He didn't care if she followed or disappeared off the planet.

The open ended question ended with him walking away.

Vera stared after him at the specimen that was Albus Potter and even though she had so openly insulted him she was flattered by his invitation.

This didn't mean chivalry was her weakness, it only meant that she wanted to figure him out.

So slowly the gravel crunching beneath her sneakers she followed him and then fell in step with him.

He didn't say anything so she began whistling and he couldn't imagine how much weirder their dynamic could get.

He said "Shut up"

She didn't stop instead she whistled louder which irked him further. The shrill sound of her whistle sliced through his thoughts leaving his head a mess of words and numbers which he couldn't put together.

He pierced her with an emerald glare and she just smiled in return her mouth shaped in that horrible oh which was causing all the trouble.

"I can't think!" He said like it bothered him the most in the world.

It was true nothing bothered Al like the inability to think.

She looked at him "Does it really affect you so much?"

He said sternly "Yes"

She stared at their matched footsteps her brown hair falling over her face, when she tied it up nobody could notice the prominent waves in her hair.

He sighed "Why did you whistle anyway?"

She looked up wanting to say _to get your attention_ but she said instead "I enjoy it"

Albus couldn't comprehend how that abrasive sound could give anybody joy.

She asked "Don't you enjoy music?"

It was an odd question but she was honestly curious about his taste.

He answered "You don't call that music do you?"

She replied "Whistling aside what music do you enjoy?"

Albus had never thought about it, he didn't listen to much music. He answered "I haven't heard much"

She had been expecting the answer so she didn't react to it but when he asked "How about you?"

She would have gasped. She didn't think he was capable of a two-way conversation.

His eagerness to converse with her made her feel wary of his tactics and behavior.

Al could have hit himself, his tongue had taken matters into its own hands. He couldn't get enough of talking to her.

He couldn't pass it off for harmless curiosity or strategic manipulation any more. Her taste in music didn't have anything to do with the information he needed.

Al never denied the truth and the truth was that he was addicted to her mind, the way it thought and he wanted to understand her as a person thoroughly.

Vera composed herself and hid her shock "I don't listen to much either but I've always enjoyed the eighties' numbers"

She left it that and seriously weighed the option that Al might be more human than she thought, an option that seemed high impossible.

He nodded consumed in his internal turmoil.

She asked her next question like she meant for it to blend into the air "Where are we going?"

She fully accepted that he might not answer her question and smirk cockily but he stunned her yet again by saying "There's a place a little distance away, it's quite…peaceful. In all humility I don't exactly know why I walked down this way. This wasn't meant to happen"

He had never done something this stupid he hadn't even realized where he was going until she brought it up.

He was embarrassed. He couldn't meet her amused eyes and her lips quivered like she might laugh with the next breath.

Albus sighed "Sorry for my…." she laughed and people walking by noticed the strange pair.

She looked at up at Al with happy blue eyes "This is the most uncoordinated I've seen you…..you're almost normal!"

He looked down at her intending to tell her off but when he saw the good-natured smile on her face like she had never had this much amusement in her life he felt his mouth tilt up of its own accord.

She said "Relax…..I know you think I'm a mad axe lady or something…..But I'm not as bad as you think and you know if you really let go you can be like all the rest of us sorry souls. It's not such a bad thing"

He found himself asking lost, completely lost "What's not a bad thing?"

She answered "Being like us"  
She smiled an uncomfortable smile like she couldn't believe what was happening. Albus' heart pounded, he had betrayed himself.

It was like he had flung himself off the cliff like his plans had been thrown out the window.

They both walked in worried silence now. Like they were both itching to put on their helmets again and fight but couldn't find the helmets.

Albus' feet led them to a garden though a distinct wall. It was a beautiful garden, but there was nobody there.

She asked "How?"

He answered "It only allows Scorpius and me to enter"

She asked amazed with the plants and the beauty of it "How come?"

He smiled secretly gloating in the light of her appreciation of the place "We created it when we were fourteen"

She gasped "But is it registered with the ministry as a recognized magical spot?"

He shook his head walking a little ahead of her she said hurriedly "But…But that's illegal! First of all you did under-age magic surely that in itself is a crime and then you…you…..created a magical area, like Diagon Alley or something and since it's not registered…..You should be in jail!"

He turned around "Are you done losing your mind?"

She spluttered looking around her as if she'd just been thrown into another dimension.

Albus was disappointed she didn't appreciate the genius of the place, somehow seeing her fret about the law irritated him "Will you tell?"

She asked helplessly "What?!"

He asked his voice clipped "Will you lodge a complaint against us?"

She couldn't find her speech, she knew she should. She had no idea what to tell him.

Then her eyes widened "But I'll never be able to prove it. Since no one can enter except Malfoy and you"

He smirked "I'm glad you have some intelligence"

She blinked and felt her blood boil. How could they get away with everything? How come they always made it by?

She gritted her teeth "I'm going home"

So this was the limit of their tolerance. He watched her walk to the gate but then grunt when she couldn't open it no matter how much she tried.

He said "You leave when I let you"

She whipped around angrily "What is your problem? What have I done to you? Now is when you tell me how you're going to ruin my life and leave me a wreck?"

He looked at her "I have patience, not to worry"

She turned away from him her fists shaking "I want to leave"

Al told her enjoying her displeasure "And I don't, we were having quite a nice time weren't we?"

He had no idea where the anger was coming from.

Maybe it was because she had become frantic when he had showed her something only Rose knew apart from the two of them. Maybe it was because he didn't like how much she could change him with a few words.

She looked at him in shock like she just realized that he was heartless "what do you want….Albus?"

He glared at her "Leave us alone! Can you do that?!"

She was thrown back by his words and then she snorted "I won't! I don't want to leave you alone!"

He asked "But I thought you wanted to break us and send us to prison!?"

She smirked at him viciously "Why don't you try feeling for a change!? Because thinking clearly isn't helping you enough! I want you to change! I can put the past behind me only if you can stop this racket!"

He looked so shocked like she'd slapped him.

She screamed "I can forgive you for the sake of Rose, but I can't let you make more mistakes! It's what Draco Malfoy wants and it's what I want! I'm not a student reporter anymore!"

In a flurry of anger she opened her bag and threw the duplicate of the scrolls in his face "These….how long can you survive, plotting and planning playing dirty games lost in your ambitions!?"  
He stared at the scrolls at his feet, she said "We can live in peace, you can change let your cousin get married in peace. You can achieve so much more by putting your mind to good use"

He couldn't speak even if he wanted to.

She asked "Would you like to try?"  
He asked "My ambitions? What about them?"  
She smiled shaking her head "Your ambitions mean nothing, you think you have these great plans. Oh so scary and sadistic. Albus you're just power-hungry. Believe me you're searching for an identity and you won't find it by walking over people"

He closed his eyes letting her words wash over him "Why am I letting you, letting you rip me apart?"

She walked towards him her footsteps matching the pace of his heart "Because you want someone to see you. You just want to be seen as something better than all the famous people in your family"  
He squeezed his eyes shut burnt by her words "Stop, stop it"

He fell to his knees and clutched his hair in his hands.

She knelt down to his level putting her hand on his quaking shoulder as lightly as possible "You are intelligent, smarter than most people on this planet. Don't let it go to waste. You deserve to be happy A-Albus and you can be if you just let yourself"  
He furiously shrugged her hand off and looked at her with a mad look in his eyes "Who do you think you are?! Huh?! An orphan is telling me about happiness! You killed your mother and you talk about being good. Even your father didn't want you?"  
Years ago or even a few days ago she'd have stalked off left him to his plight or hit him but now seeing him pull out all the stops to retain his personality she just smiled "This is what I mean by putting your brain to good use, if you are as smart as you claim to be you'd know my mother died because of a heart attack right? You have my medical records. A few hours after I was born. My Dad didn't know. I'm not happy but I still let myself smile"  
He quietened down and his breathing slowed. She sat down "Can you let yourself…be happy?"  
He looked at her "I can't go back to being quiet and forgotten"

She rolled her eyes "If I knew your problems stemmed from childhood neglect this wouldn't have been necessary. Your family loves you but they never thought you needed it because you were intelligent enough to comprehend their reasons"

Albus blinked "Aren't you proud of yourself, going to drink some champagne tonight? You broke me"  
The flatness of his voice made her grin "No but I'm proud of myself for helping you"

"How is this going to help me? I have to rethink my whole life"

She put her hand back on his shoulder "Your family will help and you'll see. Humans have an uncanny ability to figure things out"

He asked the only question he really needed to ask "Will you help too?"

She nodded "I'm sure you'll fight everything I say but I love a challenge"

He didn't have the energy to laugh or smile "I can't I don't get how people can be vulnerable and be okay with it"  
Vera started gathering up the scrolls "We don't have a choice. You could build your shields with your brain but we use our vulnerability as a shield"

He asked "And you want me to do that too?"  
She laughed "You'll start doing it whether I want you to or not. Albus I told you before. Being a human is not your tragedy, you not wanting to be is"

Albus had never thought so hard at anything before. But it felt like he could finally breathe again like all this while he'd been waiting.

Vera watched the transformation in pure amazement. Whatever happened with them now would be an unmitigated disaster.

She never thought Al would break so easily, she honestly thought she'd be dead today. The question arose inside her, did it have something to do with her?

Albus looked at her she offered a hand to help him up. He hesitated and gazed at her hand intently before finally accepting. When she was going to pull him up he pulled her down.

She fell into the grass beside him and he didn't let her hand go "I don't want to hurry like everyone else. I want to breathe. Something so simple has never felt so new"

She smiled and even though he looked battered and scarred emotionally, she found that his beauty wasn't skin-deep, but he'd never let it show.

This garden she realized was their secret, the events of the day would remain hidden inside them.

After this they'd go back to being Boss and worker forma and ignorant of each other.

He looked at her hand still clasped in his "What do I tell Scorp?"  
When the gate creaked open they both looked up startled.

Scorpius entered his jacket slung over his shoulder. His grey eye landed on the pair of them and the scrolls.

His eyes widened and Al froze. Vera let out a strangled gasp.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here?!"

* * *

**AN: I love the title for this chapter. And I love this chapter. But the hard part is writing about smart people when you're not actually that intelligent.**

**It's hard okay? writing intelligent dialogue. I'm proud to say it's all original.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**OBSERVATION AND CONCLUSION: CRACKING THE CODE**

All the processes in Al's body stopped, if it weren't for the rapid thoughts rushing round his brain one could say he had gone into a fatal comatose.

Vera had never in her life felt exposed, she had never been on the receiving end of a reveal.

The outrage was clear on Scorpius' face.

Since Albus would be of no use whatsoever Vera took the situation into her hands and stood up brushing her hair out of her face.

She took Scorpius' glare as it came her way and nodded "I apologize….."

"Apologize?!"

She replied calm "Just hear me out"  
Before she could begin the fateful tale, Albus stood up and strode out the garden.

The two of them watched him leave confused and a little offended.

Vera stared at Scorpius "So do you want to know or not?"

Scorpius nodded.

Sitting on a lone bench on the side of the street together in uncomfortable silence Scorpius and Vera quit in their search to find Albus.

Scorpius couldn't suspect that Vera might have lied to him about what happened without asking Al to confirm it first but Al was right then of no use.

Vera asked "Aren't you going to blame me, fight with me?"

Scorpius looked up at her elbows resting on knees "What will I get out of it?"

He didn't elaborate and Vera sat stunned.

He sighed "If Al doesn't want to be found he won't be"  
Vera looked at him "I'm going home, it's been a long day"

Scorpius didn't support her declaration with a reply. She began trailing through the streets her head constantly solving riddles.

In a moment of complete surprise she pondered the possibility that Al might have sought refuge at the office, the only unsuspected place he could hide in.

As a cheap shot she apparated to the tall building.

She made it to his office and as per her thought he was there sitting in his chair studying his empty desk in serious thought.

She didn't want to startle him but pushed the glass door lightly open on its hinges.

He looked up bored "You're all insufferable"

Even though he spoke spitefully, she could tell he was out of steam "And so are you, deal with it"  
She, uninvited took a seat before him and looked at him with stern eyes much like she was reprimanding a child "Go and explain the situation to Malfoy"  
He said fussy "I don't want to"  
She rolled her eyes "You're really going to be childish about this?"  
He smiled "I'm too confused to explain anything to anybody"

She rubbed her forehead "You need me to string your thoughts together? How can you fall apart like this? I get it you're only realizing now that you have a heart but get over it! It was one stupid ambition get off your ass and take it like a man!"

She stood up "Way to ruin my weekend"  
She strode out of his office and he sat back in his seat not perturbed. Much to his surprise pissing her off satisfied him.

He wasn't broken, far from it. He was confused, yes, uncertain also but if he could pull this off there would be no limit to his success.

Of course he was going to have to lie to Scorpius, Rose and everybody else but it would be worth it, he could bet his life on that.

Vera entered her apartment and threw herself on her couch, tired with the day she had had.

Such a turbulent day could leave anyone exhausted.

What did she care if Albus was losing it? She'd done her job.

Yet, a question tickled the back of her mind, why would he fall apart so easily? He had never fallen apart before, so why now?  
She'd have to be on her guard regardless.

When Scorpius had ascertained Al's story and heard it from his friend's mouth he was hurt and disappointed, but he didn't show it.

When Al began talking about how he couldn't help but give in to the woman, Scorpius had to make him stop.

Deciding that something had to be done about this, he left for a certain someone's house.

When Vera opened her door to Scorpius she expected him to yell but he stepped inside and just looked at her "Why does my friend like you?"  
Vera asked "What do you want, say it, I don't have time for games"  
He sat down on her couch "Have you given him a love potion?"  
Vera raised her eyebrow "If I had?"

He looked as if he'd been slapped, he took his time then said "Then I wouldn't be surprised"

She looked away pursing her lips "I'm not going to extend my hospitality any more than I have to. But if you have something of consequence that you need to discuss, get it over with"

Scorpius looked around the place "My friend is smitten by you"

Her eyebrows narrowed "What absurd nonsense are you spewing now?"

He said like he was trying to convey a message to a deaf person "He. Likes. You."

She felt drunk, the world around her was going out of focus. She blinked rapidly "Get out"

He grinned "I sense some discomfort"

She gritted her teeth "I'm going to hex you"  
Scorpius leaned back stretching his arms and crossing them behind his blonde head and lifted his right leg to place it on his left knee his shiny pointed toed shoe staring at her "If you don't like him you only have to say it I'm just here for a clarification"

She didn't know why she was tolerating him "Look you must be high, you're friend does not like me. You should know what kind of a human being he is by now"

Scorpius stared at the cream coloured ceiling "I do know , that is why I am asking what brought about this sudden change in personality"

She sat down across from him "He's just a little troubled right now, you cannot connect that with emotions that aren't there. Are we done with this?"

He asked letting out a dramatic sigh "What do _you_ feel about him?"

She took a minute to process the question and then she asked, her eyes bulging "You want me to discuss my _feelings_ with you? Are you insane?"

He smiled "When there are no _feelings_ as you're implying or more appropriately as I am assuming then there's not much of a discussion is there?"

She snorted "You're a piece of work, aren't you?"

He said smugly "Between Al and me I am the one who's quickest to unravel the mysteries of emotions and human behavior….." He paused and she raised her eyebrow doubtfully and he said "Don't look skeptical it's true"  
Her shoulders slumped "I don't like him, does that placate you?"

He shook his head "Denial is a mysterious thing, reduces the bravest people to cowards"

She raised her eyebrows "Um, I am telling you as a warning….Please leave I think I have had enough"  
He asked "Why, he's handsome, he's smart, what more do you want?"  
Vera had reached the end of her patience "Albus does not like me and you'rea fool to think he would. Now if you don't get up and get out I'm going to have to make you. Oh by the way I don't harbor feelings for your friend despite his good looks and intelligence"

He stood up "When you do like him…or realize that you do, I just want to tell you- Don't hurt him"

She scoffed "Don't hurt him? Oh okay, because I'm the one who's going to break his heart and then rub it in his face completely stoic to any emotions he shows me right?"

He snapped his fingers "Yeah that's the jist of it"

He left closing the door behind him, no 'goodbye' or 'see you' said in greeting.

She fell into the arm chair massaging her temples, why did it have to be so excruciating to talk to either of those two men, couldn't it be just a little less torturous?  
She guessed it was part and parcel of involving herself in their business.

Vera wasn't too bothered by Scorpius' suspicion of a burning romance between them, he was just flying off the handle with his friend's uncharacteristic behavior. On a different note though, his conviction that she was the reason for the change nagged her to no end.

Something told her that her job wasn't done yet she hadn't touched the bottom just yet.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the delay, especially after leaving on a cliffhanger. I was extremely busy so I couldn't get the time enough to write a nice chapter.**

**I hope this does until the next one. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**DATE ME, BUT HATE ME BECAUSE I HATE MYSELF**

Life dragged itself forward on the wheels of time steadily. Work mounted as the magazine got more popular over time.

Vera's busy life had gotten busier. Although the strained work relationships with the two men were still strained there was a change in Albus' behavior towards her.

He'd hold doors open for her, he'd give her nods if not greetings or smiles and didn't mind asking her questions in passing even if it was just for some conversation.

The strange change unsettled Vera but she assumed she'd have to get used to it.

She sat in her office relaxing before she'd have to go home one Friday. When did she start looking forward to weekends?

Well she had started and it was getting easier to do nothing but sleep on weekends.

It was twelve in the night and practically everyone in the office had gone home.

Empty coffee mugs sat in a row on her table. She sighed reaching for the pencil holding her hair in place and pulled it out shaking her hair loose.

She stared out her glass window at the city in the night.

She was jolted unexpectedly when someone knocked on her door.

She looked up to see Albus standing on the other side in the dark corridor and her perplexed reflection in the glass.

She sat up straight and nodded as he pushed the door open and stepped inside "Was leaving and saw your light on"

She started pulling her back into the knot "Uh yes I was considering going home myself, carry on"

He watched her finishing up the knot and said "You should let it down"

Her blue eyes snapped up "What?"

He repeated stoically "Let down your hair…..makes you look less winded"  
She blushed and said "I just find tying it up convenient"  
She finished it up and began picking up coffee mugs, he asked "I could carry a few"

Vera looked at him "I thought you were going home, I don't want to stop you"  
He said reasonably "We might as well go together now that I found you"

She sighed and nodded.

She slung her bag on her shoulder and her blazer over the crook of her elbow.

He followed her and closed her door, the lights turned themselves off.

The added down the corridor and got rid of the mugs.

As the exited the building Albus asked her "You drink a lot of coffee"

She said "I've been told yes"

Automatically like it always happened she undid her hair pulling it into a ponytail instead.

She preferred keeping it tied up in the office but the second she was out her hair would be down and she'd be herself.

He asked "Any plans for the weekend?"  
She looked up at him in the light of the street lamp "Not really…..sleep"  
He smiled "Seems like a good plan"

Vera let out a breath "Doesn't it?"  
He said "The magazine's doing well"  
She nodded "Well yes, why shouldn't it? All of us work pretty damn hard"

He tucked his hands into his pockets "I…..I was wondering if you'd come to the library with me tomorrow"  
Vera was stunned into oblivion. He continued "I usually go with Scorp but he's going on a date with Rose"

She found her voice "I-I-I…You can't go alone?"  
He saw her eyes flitting about the pavement nervously "I can….but I usually go play a little football around at the club after, and it's quite boring going alone"

Vera stared at him gulping. She raised her eyebrows blinking " I… I don't know if I should"

He looked at her and then said casually "if it wasn't obvious already I was asking you to a date"

Vera felt dizzy, she swayed dangerously unable to say anything.

Albus caught her around her shoulders holding her up and said strongly "If you faint now after I managed to get that out of my system I promise I'll make your life miserable ad I will never forgive you"  
Vera pushed away from him unsteadily but before she moved completely away he caught her hand then met her eyes "Just in case….you know….you try to run away"

She bit her lip, her face an embarrassing shade of red.

He cleared his throat "So are you in?"

She shook her head "I'm sorry I don't date"

She tried tugging her hand out of his but he held on harder making her squirm "Why not? Is it because of me?"

She shook her head "No…..I…..Can't…"

He stepped towards her "You can give it a try, I gave your plan a try"

She protested "That's not the same! I-I-I- You'll regret dating me. It'll just be a disaster. We both fight so much. And I don't like you right?"

He stared at her "Are you asking me if you like me?...Well…."

She glared at him "Shut up! That's not what I meant okay? I meant I don't believe in relationships or dating and stuff. People are not dependable. They hurt you, they leave you and then they blame you"

He watched her "So….you like me but it's the dating part that's the problem"

She gritted her teeth "Are you purposely acting like a fool?"  
He smiled "No I'm only trying to figure this out"  
She groaned "Albus don't do this to me. I cringe when I hear about relationships. And I'm assuming you're looking for a relationship and not an one-night stand?"  
Albus pretended to think "Let's see….um yes, relationship it is"  
She looked irritated, she hit him with her handbag.

He looked scared "Wow, I see some real emotions here"

Her eyes spat fire at him "This is not funny….Albus I will hurt you….."

He laughed skeptically "You'll hurt me? Not the other way around? I never thought….."  
Al kept quiet on seeing her expression, she said "I will, because it's not what I believe in. I'm a workaholic, clean freak, socially impaired, unstable woman and you're worse than me as a human being…. We are not a match made in heaven"

He looked at her thoughtfully "Which couples are matches made in heaven, really?"

She had no answer to that.

Albus said to her "Look I'm a risk taker, this might not work out and I know that. I might hurt you, you might hurt me. Anything can happen. But what I can tell you is that if we figure this out together we can be pretty good together. So what do you say realist? Is this real enough for you?"  
She looked at him amazed "You're playing with me…this is your plan…..you're going to hurt me, you're trying to get rid of me. You haven't changed you're just acting"

Al's eyes widened in fear.

She forcibly pulled her hand out of his and ran away clattering in her heels.

She'd never been as emotional as she was just then. Tears flew out her eyes, how could he mess with her like that? She knew he didn't have a moral compass but to play on some of her deepest fears was just the most despicable thing to do.

Albus didn't waste time, he leaped after her with his heart thudding. He needed to convince her or all would be lost.

This might be the worst thing he'd done, it was wrong on all levels even Scorpius wouldn't approve but he had to. He wasn't heartless, he was just ambitious.

He caught up to her when her heel broke.

She almost fell but managed to stay upright, Vera was a mess. Her eyeliner ran down in her face in tracks, her hair was windswept and the heel on her shoe had broken much to her aggravation.

As she was pulling her shoe off fully intending to run barefoot Albus touched her shoulder.

She jumped and screamed when he pushed her into the wall cover her mouth with his hand.

He didn't look angry, just worried like he'd lose everything if he lost her.

Her sobs though muffled wracked her body. He watched as she fell apart in front of him.

He pulled the hand off her mouth and she slid down the wall crying "Go away, please just don't, I can't….I don't want to like you, I don't want to get hurt….I don't want you to leave me and go I don't want you to ruin my life…..to lie to me…Please leave me alone!"  
He squatted in front of her, and he considered leaving her considered what he was doing. But what he did next decided for him what he was going to be doing.

He leaned forwards took her tear-streaked face in his hands delicately and kissed her.

She froze and he could feel her lips quivering with her sobs as he did, he could taste her tears on her lips.

When he pulled away she said "Why?"  
He said "I'm not going anywhere, I made my choice. I will show you….The person I can be"  
She closed her eyes the tears running down her cheeks "You're lying…..You always lie I know you"  
His heart jumped, she did, she did know him, she had never been more right.

"We can do this" He told her.  
She said "I hate you"  
He laughed "I know"  
She pushed him in the chest making him lose his balance and fall onto the dirty street "If you hurt me I'll kill you, I promise"  
He raised his hand in surrender and said guiltily as he sat up "I'm at your mercy"  
She wiped her face "I want to apparate home"  
She stood up and looked at him "Tomorrow I'll meet you, pick me up and be on time"  
He smiled shakily "Of course"  
She apparated and he stared at the spot minutes after she was gone.

He knew he was going to hell for this.

Albus knew what he was doing, he always thought he was immune to guilt so why did he feel guilty now? He should have been happy his plan worked that the closer he got to her the better he'd be able to use her but he wasn't prepared to feel miserable about it.

He ran his hands through his sweaty hair, she'd never forgive him and he knew he'd never forgive himself either.

He stood up slowly, he was human it wasn't his tragedy it was his weakness. He knew vaguely that he was going to feel something for her and he was going to have no say in it.

He hated himself and he thought for the first time that it would have been better if he'd just become like the rest of his family.

* * *

**AN: It's been a while. I had a lot going with college and stuff. Yeah I bet you know how it is in the beginning.**

**So what do you think? Let me know. I will finish this story, I've made myself that promise.**

**Well then, thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**I PRETEND TO HURT YOU AND THEN I DO**

Being nervous and a perfectionist made for a bothersome combination in one person and when that person was Vera it was just a million times worse.

She stood in front of her wardrobe in her pajamas still not sure as to what to wear.

Vera contemplated meeting Albus in her gym shorts and t-shirt itself and not going to the extra effort of wearing shoes or combing through her hair.

After all she couldn't expect much from the date, she could tell they'd be fighting five minutes into it.

When she heard the bell ring a chill set off up her spine, if it wasn't the mailman or milkman or something she was going to have a cardiac arrest because she was in no state to greet Albus Potter whatsoever.

She rushed to the door and peered through the keyhole, when she saw a quite out of proportion broad chest magnified before the hole she almost groaned.

She turned away from the door aware that she was behaving rather idiotically.

Taking a big gulp of air she turned and twisted the knob running her hand through her tangled hair out of nervousness.

When the door opened Vera's fears were augmented by the presence of Albus Potter.

She saw that he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt nothing extravagant.

He looked at her all business and no smiles "Good morning"

She found a voice hidden somewhere deep within her chest "Good morning, I was just going to change….come in"  
He stepped inside without a word and she shut the door.

She walked to the open kitchen as he took in her house "So you're here rather early"

He said examining her bookshelf which she was quite proud of "We didn't discuss a time so I decided earlier the better"

She poured herself her second cup of coffee and asked "Coffee?"

He squatted to read the spines of books at the bottom of the shelf "Yes"

She pulled out a mug watching his back.

She couldn't believe he'd found his place in her house so fast.

Vera sipped at her coffee and carried his cup over to him she stood above him as he opened her copy of O Henry's plays. She leant against the shelf watching him slowly turn the pages.

He turned and blinked in surprise to see her watching him from above.

He noticed her crossed legs and the coffee mug, he shut the book and put it back in its place then stood up "Thanks"

He took the mug out of her hands and she cocked her head in a careless gesture.

He asked "So aren't you going to change?"

She sighed "I will"  
She began walking in the direction of her bedroom and Albus watched feeling rather uncomfortably aware of the fact that he was giving up everything he believed in to use a girl like her.

Vera changed into a pair of black jeans and a simple tank top throwing on her hoodie just for the heck of it.

She brushed her hair out and pulled it into a high ponytail bailing on the make-up except for a layer of lip gloss.

She emerged from her room collecting her keys and a sling bag "Okay I'm ready to leave"

Albus stood up from where he was sitting on her couch nodding.

She went to the kitchen to wash her mug and asked "Mind giving me your mug, so I can wash it?"  
He stepped into the kitchen and ran the tip of his finger across the spotless counter behind her back "Already washed it and placed it on the shelf"

Vera looked at the shelf and true to Albus' word it was there. She hardly knew how to feel about the fact that Al took his dishes as seriously as she did.

He held his finger up and was not surprised to find no dust on it "I value cleanliness"  
Vera swallowed rinsing her cup for a third time and didn't ratify his proclamation with a response of her own.

She dried her hands on the cloth and turned to face him "The library first right?"

He shook his head "I thought we'd change things, let's go for breakfast then the mall if you want to, isn't that what they do on a date?"

She shrugged "I wouldn't know I've never been on one"

He smirked "Come on"

She rolled her eyes behind his back and followed him out of her apartment.

Silence didn't exactly account for a romantic experience according to Vera. Al didn't even look at her when they apparated a little distance away from the breakfast place.

Somehow Vera took it upon herself to get the ball of conversation rolling. "Nice morning" she started, he nodded but didn't contribute any more.

She let out a sigh she'd been holding in for a while "Why would you want to be with a person you don't think is worth a few words?"

He looked at her poker faced "Because I value meaningful silence more than idle talk"

She shook her head "So this is how it's going to be dating you? Full of thought and no expression"

He blinked "What do you want me to say?"

Vera smirked "Oh Albus I know you regret asking me out, why don't we save ourselves the trouble and apparate back home?"

She really hoped he would let her, he shook his head and murmured "Then all of it would be for nothing" she tried to decipher the underlying meaning of the sentence, was he referring to last night?

Her eyes narrowed as they took their seats inside the little restaurant "I feel a sense of foreboding"  
He winked cockily "It's excitement"

A single eyebrow rose in an arch on her forehead and Albus marveled that look, she looked so much like his boss that he was thrown from his aim. She leaned forward and said "I'm not a child"

He said lazily back "Of course you're not"

She blinked confused "What is that supposed to mean exactly?"  
He looked at her over his menu as she stared at him expectantly "No child looks like that, it would be criminal wouldn't it?"  
She leaned back in her seat in shock with a light blush covering her cheeks.

Vera was getting increasingly troubled by this whole arrangement, maybe she should have cried help while she could.

They ate their breakfasts with little talk. And finally Albus decided to be a little more open "I'm looking forward to this"

Vera resisted the urge to stab her omelet "Right"

He said "I mean of course I'm not used to this but this seems right doesn't it?"

She looked up at him "Sometimes you think things are right and they're actually wrong this could be one of those times. I don't know if this is right but to me it feels wrong"  
Al was taken aback by her honesty "That's brutal"

She shook her head "I don't know where you came up with this plan but I'm going to tell you that it's going to fail, because we both can be nothing not friends not enemies and definitely not lovers, nothing exists here between us"

She threw her napkin down and stood up, then pulled out some money and kept it on the table "Here's my share, thank you for the meal"

She left without a glance. Albus couldn't believe how quickly things had gone wrong.

He paid the bill quickly and left after her.

He caught her in the street and said "Wait, you promised me one chance"

She replied curtly "I promised you nothing"

He asked "What is your problem?"

She grinned "That's more like it, my problem is that you and I are not meant to be dating and how awkward we are in these situation"

Al was frustrated "I know I haven't been the nicest person on this planet but I'm trying"

She said smiling "That's good but you're trying to be nice to the wrong person, I'm just not the right person Albus"

He stepped in front of her "No you're the only person I can try for"  
She looked into his eyes and saw something very honest in them, she stepped aside to walk around him "Albus you're mad"  
He followed her "So what? What's wrong with being who I am?"

She turned around "I've explained to you why this is going to be a disaster"

He said determinedly "And it's not a good enough reason"

Her shoulders slumped, how was she going to get rid of him?

Vera looked and saw a picture-perfect couple walking hand in hand in the street smiling and talking like there was nobody but them there, Vera pointed to them and asked Albus "You see them? Can we ever be them? Is that where this is going to go?"  
Albus watched the couple getting a little sick of the sweetness between them "I hope not"

Vera crossed her arms over her chest and the wind brushed back strands of her hair from her face "I thought so, you don't like the sight of that right? Neither do I, but that's what a relationship is what are you going to do about it? Are we going to pretend until we can't anymore?"

Al agreed with her, he didn't know how to convince her otherwise.

A cough interrupted both of them.

Al looked at the bench beside and saw that they weren't alone, there was an old man sitting with his cane propped against the bench, he looked up with wrinkles around his eyes at Albus "She's wrong"

Vera blinked in an indignant glare "I'm wrong sir?"  
He nodded wisely and looked back at Al with watery grey eyes "A relationship isn't about how much you smile together and hold each other's hands it's about how much you cry together and for how long you can hold on even when there's nothing left to hold on to"

Vera rolled her eyes "Why would we hold on when there's nothing there?"

He smiled at her "Because if you hold on then it means there's still something"

Vera gaped "That makes no sense, forgive me Sir with all due respect I don't think that fits"  
The man laughed his shoulders rising and falling "Love is permanent if it's there, it will always be there, sometimes though it gets lost and you have to find it again. It's quite childish that way"

Vera said immediately "Nothing's permanent!"

The man smiled "Says the cranky girl who's never given love a try"

Vera kept quiet, that's what Larry had told her that she'd never know if she never tried.

The man turned to Albus "Don't let her logic run you down son, you go by what your heart says, go by what you need"

Albus' eyes widened and the man nodded "Yes, wisdom is quite shocking isn't it?"

Vera looked at Al just as he met her eyes, she pursed her lips and rolled her eyes "What?"

He stepped towards her "So how about that one chance?"

She let out a huff of angry air and Al's lips tilted up in a smile "This is still a disaster"  
He grinned "But it's still going to be worth it"

She rolled her eyes and Al turned to the old man watching them "Thank you Sir, you did me a huge favor today"

The man tipped his hat at Al "My pleasure son and change this one for the better"

Vera shook her head skeptically. Al nodded "Of course, very well good day"

The man nodded and they walked away waving.

Al seemed in much better spirits and Vera told him "If you can't stop grinning I'm going to hit you"  
Albus laughed loudly and she looked up at the sky in frustration. The Gods were testing her obviously.

But when she saw his face contorted in so much happiness she couldn't help but smile. He looked quite handsome when he was happy she noticed, of course he looked dashing when he was brooding but a smile suited him better in Vera's opinion.

Al looked at her "So to the mall as per the plan, Rose told me you enjoy shopping"  
Vera warned "I will pay for what I buy"  
Al asked confused "Then what am I going to be there for?"  
Vera grinned wickedly "Carrying the bags of course"  
She winked over her shoulder as she started walking faster and with abandon he asked concerned "How much exactly are you going to buy?!"

She smiled innocently at him "I can't be sure, I usually go according to my fancy is that a problem?"  
He shook his head slowly looking worried and she patted his cheek in mock affection "We are going to have so much fun aren't we?"

Al blinked with a frown "Um…yeah….ok"

She smiled a wide smile "Let's not waste any time then"

Three hours later, Albus could have burst into tears and Vera on the other hand could have burst into peals of laughter. It was all about perspective, from Albus' perspective you'd think he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and from Vera's perspective you'd see that she was only paying him back in kind for all the nonsense that she had to put up with when with him.

Albus asked her dumping all the shopping unceremoniously onto and below the chair where they sat for a little break "I'm sure you're not going to use more than half these items that you have bought"

She looked up slurping her drink and said offended "I'll have you know that I always use everything I buy"

Albus nodded skeptically "Oh of course"

She was content watching Albus struggle and get increasingly bored of shops. It was safe to say that he would much rather be alone at home without her for company or as a girlfriend.

When he had asked her out he hadn't expected for her to make it so hard to be nice to her, now his guilt regarding how he was going to use her for his own means decreased profoundly.

Vera asked "Would you like to buy something too?"

Albus looked at her with narrowed eyes, he wasn't amused "Thanks for asking but no, I am not interested"

She blinked and then leaned down rummaging in a bag before pulling out a watch case she sat up and held it out to him hesitantly.

He drank his drink and saw the case held out to him "Ooh pretty, now do I have to compliment every item?"

She didn't look impressed she rolled her eyes "It's for you"

He almost spat his drink out, he spluttered in a lunatic fashion "M-Me? But….."

She now felt like a grin might split her face at any moment "Didn't you even bother wondering why I was perusing men's watches in a watch store? You were right there the entire time"

He could have felt embarrassed but he felt more shocked, he was afraid to touch the object less it explode in his face he was sure she'd rigged it "Should I say thank you?"

She answered "It would be appropriate but since this is you we're talking about, I'll let it pass"

He suspiciously took the case from her and on seeing the bored smile on her face he felt guiltier than he had at first.

He opened the case in anticipation, he hoped it wasn't too brilliant because then he'd really be close to wetting his pants in shame.

He opened it and was surprised to find it empty, he looked up and showed her the case in confusion "But it's empty?"

His eyes moved to her wrist that she was slowly raising up and playing with the catch of a nice, elegant watch, he would have thrown the box in her face, he really would have and she laughed like she was the most accomplished witch of her age "Priceless"

He set the box down "You are so funny, I might die of laughing"

She sobered up as they walked out of the café and just walked the corridors of the mall "But honestly…"

She reached into her back pocket and pulled something out, he wasn't too keen on another prank so he ignored her. When he caught something glinting in the corner of his eye he turned and she held up a beautiful silver men's watch with sharp needles and a classy look to it that Merlin knew was expensive.

She smiled dangling it in front of him "I'm not that cheap you know?"

She held up her wrist "I have had this one for ages, luckily for me you've never noticed"  
He was too proud to take it, it would be like accepting that he was probably the worst man to ever exist and possibly the least sensitive.

In total surrender he took it and immediately said "I don't deserve it"

She sighed "Deserve it or not you can't return it, if I tell you the price you'll have to be my slave for the rest of my life so it's basically insurance"

He stared at her aghast at how low she could strike him "Are you trying to buy my loyalty?"

She smirked "I'm just watching my own back Albus, so…."

She winked and he stared at the expensive watch like it was suddenly a disease he was looking at "Wait! How much was it?" She was walking away and he struggled to keep up with her with all the bags "I'll pay you back!"

She laughed good-naturedly "I was joking, besides it's bad luck to return or pay back gifts"

He felt trapped somehow "Who told you that?"

She shrugged "I don't know I just heard it somewhere"

He groaned "You're going to kill me"  
Vera shook her head "Should have thought about it when you chose me for your girlfriend"

Albus sighed "Yeah well you agreed"

"Excuse me you never gave me a choice!"

"Come on when has not having a choice stopped you?"  
"You're sick Potter"

"I'm not, you are, you're bribing me to be good to you"

"You'd have done the same"

"So you actually won't mind if I'd do it? Interesting"

"Don't you dare"

"I just might"  
"I'll never accept your gift"

"Oh but you will have to, I won't give you a choice"

Vera glared at him "Right, this is exactly the kind of relationship that ends in 'happily ever after ' right?"

Albus sighed and when they were out of the mall and sitting on a bench because his arms were tired he told her "Don't tell me you don't enjoy arguing with me"

She huffed like a petulant child "I hate it"

He smiled "No you don't"

Vera looked away then asked "Is this done, you had your date, can I go home now?"

Albus laughed "Is this how it's going to be, you being with me against your will?"

She smiled sweetly "I'm trying my best to be the best girlfriend in the world but you suck that much so it gets hard"

He stood up "Try harder…..and if you're leaving you can carry all your shopping yourself"

She gaped "That is not right or polite"

He asked "And you've been so nice to me too isn't it?"

The sweet expression on his face irked Vera. She sighed "What do you expect?"

He looked away "I don't expect anything more than interesting conversation"

She began picking up her bags "Well I'm going to go now"

As she reached for the next bag he picked it up, his hand brushing past hers "I'm not as bad a person as I am in your mind"

Green eyes landed on her blue eyes with significance. He slung the few bags left over his shoulder and she saw the watch glinting on his wrist, she hadn't noticed when he had put it on "I might be moody, silent and very bland with my humor but I always get what I want and I always give it everything I have, I love what I do and I do what I love"  
She asked somewhere between shock and fear "Are you saying you love me?"

They began walking and he looked at her as if she was mad "You wish, I'm still on like but saying that sounded much more grand than saying 'I like what I do and do what I like'"

She rolled her eyes and hit him on the shoulder "You're a git"

He couldn't believe she hadn't used a spiteful tone with him and used a much more playful tone that seemed to convey her acceptance of him, she looked up at him with that innocent look that cut through all his defenses "We can be as honest as we like in this can't we?"

He scoffed "I think we've been pretty vocal with our honesty up till now"

She smiled and hitched a bag higher on her shoulder "I really don't think I can ever trust you completely, I'm eccentric when it comes to my suspicions and that's mostly because of the kind of person you are"  
He looked at her "Thank you for that, it inspires a lot of confidence in me"

She laughed "Yeah that's what I was going for"

Albus shook his head "Take your time, no pressure, I'm not going to try changing your mind right now with stupid words. When you think I've earned it you will trust me"

He knew when he thought the words these would blow her away and saying them out loud only proved him right because the effect they had were instantaneous.

She looked so grateful he could have thought he'd won the award for the 'Most trustworthy man of the year'. Only he'd be rolling in guilt in his bed that night on saying this, he could swear that his heart was slowly dying with every lie he said to her.

He didn't even feel this guilty lying to Scorpius. But the best part was he was such a good liar he almost convinced himself for a moment that he was saying the truth.

When they got back to her house they both fell into her couch in quiet silence. He asked after a minute or two "You live in this sort of silence the entire time"

It wasn't a question that needed an answer, she sighed into the air "I've always been alone for as long as I can remember"

Albus couldn't stop himself when he said "Not anymore"

She turned slowly to the side and looked at him "If you're trying to win my trust you're doing a brilliant job"

He raised an eyebrow "Is it working?"

She smiled slowly "No but it's nice to hear those things"

She turned back to face front, he stood up "I'm up for a sandwich, would you like one?"

She asked blinking in doubt "You cook?"

He shrugged "Every once in a while for myself, but don't tell Rose then she'll make me do it all the time"

Vera laughed in amazement "I can't believe you're so sneaky that you lie to your cousin to make her cook for you"

He said innocently "It's not that I don't tell her it's just that I keep forgetting to"

She nodded "Ah I see, it makes perfect sense"

Albus grinned "Doesn't it? Anyways, are you going to point out where things are to me?"

Vera groaned "I don't want to move, you can figure it out can't you?"

He rolled his eyes "Being your boyfriend gets easier and easier as we go ahead"

She blew him a mock kiss and he gritted his teeth "Yeah thanks"

She snorted and lay down on the couch on her back "Go crazy, treat it like your own kitchen"

He threw her a dirty look over his shoulder and she closed her eyes.

Albus was a slave and he knew it but when he saw that she had fallen asleep from where he stood in her open kitchen he never felt more contented to be somewhere. He wouldn't mind moving in with her, seeing how well she kept the place and the brilliant assortment of literature she owned. He knew from the look of it that she chose every copy she bought with care knowing whether they we reprinted or first editions, hardbacks and paperbacks. She was a conscious book buyer and that was a very impressive quality in Al's eyes. Moreover everything she bought had quality to it, she took time to pick things out and she always had a never ending stream of questions about the product. She picked the subtle, rare and simple pieces that would miss any other eye. She picked things that emulated her personality.

He knew her favorite color was white from watching her buy countless white items.

He carefully placed the sandwiches on the plate and watched her sleeping, looking like some princess stuck in the wrong time with long lashes, her shining brown hair and skin that looked real rather than bound by makeup and its very many qualities, it had texture to it and emotion to it as well. She was beautiful and to him that hardly mattered.

Albus could lie to himself as much as he liked, but if he ever said that she wasn't worth every bit of effort and slavery he had endured he would be reserving himself a spot in hell.

He was in quicksand, sinking rapidly and nobody could save him.

* * *

**AN: Well here we are, this story is the kind I like.**

**Anyway, if you have any opinions let me know.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**WHERE THE UNEXPECTED BECOMES THE ARMOR**

When they had to meet at the office again, Vera had no idea what the equation was going to be like.

She didn't know if she should smile in greeting or just nod. Didn't know if she could approach him the way she wanted to.

With so many questions flooding her brain she walked onto her floor and decided to treat the day like any other when nothing changed.

When they both weren't giving their dysfunctional relationship a try, the day seemed to go in exactly that fashion wherein he didn't bring up anything awkward or references to the weekend they had shared, pretty much stuck to each other for lack of other options, he'd almost stayed over at her place when they both realized when Rose and Scorpius found out it was going to be a little hard to explain.

She had to give him credit for his acting. And when he managed to meet her for lunch without Scorpius' notice he said "I have two minutes tops to tell you, I'm supposed to be in the men's room anyway I'm telling Scorpius now that we're together and then if he comes barging in here later don't mind" Then he left her in her own custom-made pit of misery fending for herself.

She didn't want to see Scorpius' glare or his complete question mark of a face. Rose would look betrayed and suspicious.

Vera groaned and put her hand to her fore-head, she needed to hide.

Just as Al had promised Scorpius came barging in to her office later on and he didn't look too pleased, Vera had been preparing for it so she just looked up and smiled "I was expecting you"

He pursed his lips and put his hands on his waist like some male model " 'I don't harbor feelings for your friends despite his good looks and intelligence' Do those words ring a bell because I can sear I've heard them somewhere!?"

She felt like hiding in shame but his eyes bored into hers like he was telling her 'We're going to have this conversation until you're smited by Merlin himself' "Mr. Malfoy I know you feel betrayed….."

He laughed like a mad man "Betrayed?! Ha ha! Bollocks….I feel like wringing his neck and yours that's what I feel, because you're both bloody scoundrels"  
Her eyes widened, if he was voicing his truest feelings then she really hoped she got time to call for help, she tried to help calm him down "I think you should take a minute to settle yourself"

Suddenly he looked frantic and desperate "My friend has never been this stupid!"

Oh boy, didn't she know it?

She said "I tried to tell him no, I tried everything"  
He glared at her "I'm sure if you tried harder you could have stopped him, heck you managed to thwart us quite conveniently!"

She felt her heart ache as he continued "And don't tell me you tried to stop him, it would mean you're playing him"

She felt her stomach fall and she didn't even know why she said loudly "NO!"

She almost slapped her hand over her mouth, when she came back to her senses and slowly sat down wishing she could disappear.

Scorpius arched one eyebrow then he sighed "So you actually like him, good to know. But it still doesn't explain why he's frikking out of his mind"  
Helpless Vera couldn't string two words together if she tried "I….I…..He forced me to go out with him…..He made me weird promises…..I tried to tell him no and told him what might happen….I felt like a fool giving in but I couldn't say no"  
Scorpius asked suspiciously "Weird promises?"

She looked up at him tiredly "That he'd not lie to me, hurt me or leave me and some such"

Scorpius gaped and looked alarmed "What the hell?! This means he's going to tell you everything! Now I know why you said yes?! You're just after us, you're using him. I know you're never going to stop! You're a low, conniving woman who has no respect for herself or dignity who'd sleep around with anyone to get her way you'd fake a relationship for your own victory!"

Vera didn't know what came over her when she saw Scorpius standing over her table slamming his hand on her desk.

Seeing nothing but red she stood up and before she knew it her palm collided with his cheek.

The sound sounded through the room and Scorpius was stunned, and slowly he could hear what he said in his head, it was like somebody had woken him up from a trance like he finally realized he'd crossed a line.

Vera was shaking in anger "Say something like that again and I'll break your jaw, you disgust me"

She pushed her char back with brutal force and walked out from behind her desk, Scorpius took shaky breaths.

She opened her glass door then walked over to Scorpius, she grabbed him by his collar and he couldn't believe she could be this fierce, she dragged him to the door and before she threw him out she looked him in the eye "Next time when you come in here to accuse me and insult me of not having self-respect and dignity enough to not do whatever you believe I'd do think twice, I don't care if your Al's best friend, Rose's fiancé or my boss' son I won't blink before I curse your balls off and this isn't a warning….it's a threat"

She pushed him out ruffled into the corridor and shut the door walking to her desk without a glance over her shoulder.

He adjust his collar and steadied himself staring at her back through the glass his mouth still open in stupefaction.

Albus in his office who was hearing what was happening almost stood up and clapped for her but he was too shocked and scared to do so.

He'd heard the slap loud and clear and could imagine Scorp's expression to, but to be honest he had itched to slap Scorpius himself after hearing the accusation. A few months ago he'd have laughed at what Scorpius said but now his changed personality didn't allow it.

True he was playing her, true that Scorpius didn't know the truth but his blood still boiled when he made false accusations of a girl as good and real as Vera, there was something very wrong about insulting Vera that Al couldn't tolerate for the life of him.

When his shell-shocked friend appeared alter in his office still quite disgruntled, Al didn't even give him a look.

Scorpius said "She slapped me" As if he couldn't believe it.

A demonic presence at the back of Al's head threatened to make itself heard but Al tried to keep his composure "I heard it"

Scorpius was embarrassed he knew if Al really felt something for the girl he'd be merciless with Scorpius.

Al finally looked up "You deserved it"  
Scorpius wondered if that was it but then he saw the razor edge to Al's look and knew it wasn't.

Al said "You might be my best mate but you say shit like that and traipse around her office I might gift you a punch myself"  
Scorpius said offended "You're going turn against your own friend, mate she's got you all twisted up"

Al fought his murderous rage "Scorpius you're going to have to apologize to her"

Scorpius said indignantly "Not a chance!"

Al ignored him "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you to"

Scorp asked angrily "Did she use Imperius on you? It sure seems like it"

Albus said in a cold voice he'd never used with Scorpius before "Don't apologize to her if you don't want to but don't say shit about her"

Scorpius laughed rudely "How noble of you, you're a right knight in shining armor aren't you?"

Albus warned "Don't push me"

Scorpius rolled his eyes "You know you were alright when you were thinking with your head and not your d***"

Albus gritted his teeth "You're protective of Rose aren't you? You change when you're with her if anyone or I insulted her you'd punch them even me without a thought right? You can't stand if someone pointed a finger at her don't you see that I feel that way about Vera?"

Scorpius said unaffected "I don't see, No I don't! You want to know why?! It's because I know you! I know that you don't believe in feelings! Maybe you can shit Carlson and feed her all your stories but I don't buy it! I have brains and emotions, I know that I love Rose and I knew it from the beginning. I would never do half the things you did and I stopped you from becoming a robot but you always were one. Don't try playing me even if you're playing poor Carlson, I believe in her feelings for you but the fact that you have feelings for her? Never! So don't insult my love for Rose by saying that you love Carlson as much as that! I'm your frikking best friend, and that is why when you're making a mistake I'm going to stop you and when you're hiding something from me I'm definitely going to know"

Albus was mute, Scorpius had struck Albus with his supreme intelligence.

Scorpius slowly came down from his temper "I will apologize to Vera because I know I was wrong, but not because you told me. And now I'm going to warn you…You play that girl and treat her like scum _I_ will never forgive you. Why? Because I have brains enough to know that she doesn't deserve that kind of shit. I'm all for achieving our goals but not at the cost of someone's faith in humanity and emotions"

He strode out of the place and Al couldn't wrap his head around what had happened.

In trying to use Vera had he just put Scorpius on her side?

He was so screwed he could feel it coming. If Scorpius only knew that he had turned Al's world on its head.

* * *

**AN: It's going to take me a while to get over this chapter, because I never hated and loved Scorpius more in any other chapter I have ever written about him.**

**So here's another twist for you. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**Sahitya Poonacha:)**


	12. Chapter 12

**IN THE DESTRUCTION WE FIND EACH OTHER**

Anger to her was quite a strange alien concept, because she was a strong believer in diplomacy. Irritation though not alien had never pertained enough to morph into anger and violence before.

Vera's hand still tingled with the sound slap she'd given him, the feeling she was guilty to admit was thrilling.

She sat on her couch, eyes set on the article in front of her but her mind far off from work.

Four empty cups sat on the coffee table while the fifth was held in her hands inevitably containing coffee.

She tried to focus on the parchment in front of her to no avail.

Giving up she threw the article down, successfully toppling one of the cups the last of the coffee slowly emerging onto the glass top.

Vera could feel the speed with which her mind was thinking, she could see the abundance of thoughts partner to her stress.

Somehow the relationship didn't convince her, somehow it wasn't correct to be with him.

Even if it was right, why did she feel it was so wrong? Her intuition had never failed her in the past.

Al could be poison to her and one which could destroy her from the inside.

She couldn't believe that in such a short span of time she still felt some sense of loyalty to the man.

She set her mug down and didn't bother with the mess.

Vera fell back onto the couch and tried to sleep but she couldn't, not after all the coffee.

When the fire in her fireplace turned green Vera sat up, and saw as Scorpius emerged through it, dusting himself off calmly.

Vera didn't have the energy to yell or tell him to leave.

Scorpius didn't need to think twice about the mess Vera was sitting in, it was how Al behaved when he was in one of his moods. Forgetting to be squeaky clean and being a total idiot.

He took a seat and picked up the article "I presume this article is worth five cups of coffee because it's that good or because it's that bad?"  
Vera let out a loud sigh as if she could hardly bother about him or the article.

He said quietly "I am sorry"

She would have jumped out of her wits if she had the energy, but all she did was give him a look of total boredom.

He would have smile if he hadn't just done something he never did by policy.

"It's not okay"

He looked up "What do you mean?"

She shook her head "Scorpius…I don't care if you're sorry or not, but it's not okay…..No matter how many times you say sorry….Because Albus and I…..We're horrid together"

He couldn't understand what she was telling him, so was he forgiven or not "You said what you thought, it was rude, disgusting and you got your due…But it made me realize Al doesn't like me…He's always going to be an utter scumbag. Scorpius it's why I never trust people and he goes and gets me to trust him only to break it in the nastiest way possible"  
Scorpius wished it wasn't true and he said "At least you realized before…."

Vera continued like she didn't hear him "The worst part is-is-is that I…I like him….despite him being….whatever he is"

Scorpius didn't have anything to say to that. Vera looked back at the blonde "I guess what I was trying to say is that, I don't want to be with your friend but I would love to see him live a better life, an honest life if nothing else"

He waited for her to finish everything she had to say and she said "Also I'm not playing at anything being with him…..I'm not scheming…for once I'm just doing what I want to do"

He closed his eyes took a deep breath and then said "Look…I'm not here just to apologize, I came here to warn you but clearly you already know about what. But I also want to say that, even if I am his best friend, I don't approve of some of his methods and this this isn't allowed. We're morally off the radar but even I know this is wrong"

They sat in steady silence. Vera looked at Scorpius "What should I do?"

Scorpius wondered if he had heard her wrong, she'd never ask him for advice if she could avoid it.

She might have been quite out of her mind to be asking him for advice.

"Um….me? Are you asking me or the room at large…..speaking out your thoughts or some such?"

She looked at him blankly "Are you trying to be funny?"  
His face fell and his throat went dry, she was serious.

Scorpius studied her floor "Honestly? Break up with him…..once and for all….leave him….."

She looked at him "How he'll convince me against it?"

Scorpius shook his head "Ignore him….You're stronger than this"

The silence fell between them again and she asked craning her neck over the armrest to look at him better "So you're a good bloke now?"

He sighed his grey eyes clouded over in thought "Not the good bloke just the better one"

They watched each other in contemplation.

Scorpius let out a breath and stood up "I'll leave…..Sorry again…..See you at work"

Vera smiled and Scorpius couldn't place it, she said in explanation "It's the first time you've said some form of a farewell to me"

He rolled his eyes "This is the first time you reminded me less of a female Al and more of a real woman"

Vera grinned "There's the sarcastic insult I was waiting for….the cherry on top if you will"

He proceeded to the door with a slight smirk upon his pale features "Best of luck"

Then he was gone, leaving Vera to her thoughts and when the door shut Vera gave out a long yawn.

Sometimes despite things going wrong…..something can go right.

Al could only guess the reasons for suddenly being distanced from his "girlfriend". He knew Socrpius must have done whatever he promised to do and he supposed this was her way of telling him that their short-lived relationship if you could, even call it that was over.

It was driving Albus mad, seeing her all over the office seemingly unaware of his predicament.

He'd even managed to distinguish the sound her heels made from the others, no mean feat mind you.

Throwing Scorpius a cold shoulder wasn't doing his situation much good.

He supposed he could do something drastic to get her attention, so that's what he decided.

A tiresome meeting had exhausted Vera's brain cells and she breathed with relief when she made it into her cabin. She threw the parchment down on the table and sat down in her chair but when she saw a metal male wristwatch placed conveniently in the middle of her glass table, innocent-looking, her heart skipped a beat.

She didn't dare touch it, she ignored it and it continued to stare at her in her opinion waiting to catch her attention.

She didn't want to think about Albus or anything related to him.

But the watch she'd given him…a bribe for loyalty, her insurance, security…..no she was reading too much into it. It couldn't mean anything more than returning a gift to signify the end of what was apparently a relationship.

She slowly raised her wand and then levitated the offending watch transferring it to the dustbin.

She carried on with her work as if nothing had interrupted her.

Vera decided to leave earlier that day, tired planning to catch up on lost sleep.

She passed by Albus' office, the one she didn't look into anymore or even look at for that matter.

Some devilish part of her forced her to turn her head and look into his cabin to find green eyes peering back at her as if they had been waiting, watching her from afar only waiting to catch sight of her blue ones.

She would've crashed into the floor at how weak she felt, she was riveted on him and how much power he had over her.

Panicking she turned away and began walking briskly away not able to stand there a moment longer.

Her heart still drummed in her ears as she made her way out the building ignoring the kind inquiry of her boss Draco on her way out.

She knew he'd put the watch there on purpose, to break her focus and to make her pay him heed to hurt her more than was necessary.

He was like a noose around her neck, when she ignored it he only held on tighter choking the life out of her.

Maybe that's why he had told her that she had no idea what she was dealing with that she was overconfident.

He'd made her crumble into dust…without knowing he'd accomplished whatever he'd promised.

Albus ran out after her, a tiny voice in his head controlling his limbs. Guilt rose like bile in his throat, he'd been living an empty life so far but her conversations had revealed a different world to him one that he could relate to. In her world he didn't feel like an outsider, just a long-lost friend.

Yes his ambitions were always going to be important to him, his power was always going to be his primary concern, but why did he have to lose the support he had. Scorpius had left him with his sinking ship, but Al had never realized how much he had relied on Scorpius.

He'd always assumed that Scorpius was the one tagging along but what he didn't see that they were equals, both equally important and equal players.

And Vera, the only girl that mad sense to him, probably the only human he could understand the gestures and emotions of, the only human he cared about had decided he was the evil after her life.

Al didn't mind losing everyone and everything but he couldn't lose bits and pieces of himself.

Al realized that Scorpius constituted the muscle, bones and limbs of his structure and Vera his heart, the brain was all Al was entitled to and that was Al's person.

Vera promised herself that she wouldn't break down into a mess before she got home, she wouldn't give in to the tears she'd been holding in since she'd been born.

She would never find the peace of mind she wanted. Whenever she tried to be visible to the world the world always brought her down.

Her parents had done it, Hogwarts had done it, Magic had done it, Daily prophet had done it and Al did too.

It was best to be out of sight, out of reach.

She only wanted to help him, she only wanted to understand him, stop him from destroying himself but all she got was pain in the form of mockery and sarcasm in return.

She accepted maybe some people were only meant to be the background of the protagonist's story, never the protagonist.

Al could see her distinct, walking as fast as she could without drawing any attention to herself.

He was surprised that he could pick her out so clearly in a crowd.

He supposed she was like the little secret only he could see, like an imaginary friend of a creative child.

Without concern for the fact that it was an open street, a wizarding locality and filled with plenty of onlookers he caught up to her and swung her around by the arm.

She almost lost her balance on her heels from being swung so savagely but he supported her and forced her to pay him heed.

Vera's eyes gleamed with shock and anger, she knew she couldn't take this sort of drama anymore.

She shrugged him off her "Stay away from me! I'm tired of your games!"

He said looking ruffled, his hair windswept and eyes desperate "But I wasn't p…am not…I mean…will not play…"

She shook her head "You can't even get a sentence out with complete honesty! I don't have time for this!"

He grabbed her shoulders "You have to listen to me…..I-I-I am sorry…I need you and Scorp"

She pried his hands off her shoulders "You just realized that you need us so you can walk all over us…double play us, use us and then throw us….go grovel for Scorpius' forgiveness because I am not going to be you're toy"

He said over her "You're not a toy! You're…..you…..You're…."

She smirked disgusted "Pathetic"

He yelled "Can't you let me explain?!"

She yelled back "Explain what?! That you were playing me?! Or that you lied to Scorpius! Or that you wanted to destroy me! Or why you are so obsessed with that bloody ambition?! Explain why you're never going to change!? Or why you don't have a shred of decency to feel the least bit guilty for leaving me groping in the dark?!You're a vile, viscious, horrible asshole and you want me to let you explain?!Die Albus….Just do me a favour and put yourself in Azkaban, it shouldn't affect you…you don't even have a soul for the dementors to suck…..You don't feel sadness or happiness you're just an empty shell of criminal genius!"

She'd poured her entire opinion of him into that monologue and he let her, because if it made her just a little happier he would be satisfied.

She poked him in the chest "You promised me that you wouldn't lie to me! But the entire story was a lie! You hated me but you would date me because you wanted to crush my trust! Can't you see that I already feel miserable as someone without the ability to believe in something people like Rose can?! Can't you see that I die a little bit everyday just being the person I am?! I live a part of my life in guilt of killing my mother, I lived another part in guilt of not finding my father, another in guilt of not bothering to make friends, another part not believing in love and this part guilty of abandoning all the resentment I had towards trust….You're evil Albus, ruthless and I just can't take the kind of person you are….."

She was crying by this point, shaking, tears streaming down her face with her makeup.

Albus didn't know how he could rectify what he'd done.

So he awkwardly pulled her to him, she hit his chest, resisted his attempts.

She even scratched him and he stared at her aghast.

"Don't….don't…Not again, nothing you do will convince me now….you will never hurt me again….I won't let you"  
He said shakily "You won't have to let me"  
She gaped at his confidence and sheer arrogance, he continued "Because I won't hurt you ever again"

She rolled her eyes "Save you're lies for someone who doesn't know better"

He replied quickly "But I don't want to be with someone who doesn't know better, I want to be with you, because you'll always know when I'm lying"

Her eyes narrowed and he said "Not that I'm going to but just saying….Vera….I'm not going to tell you I'm going to change because you know as well as me how true that will be but what I can assure you is that I can't hurt you, because…..because…I love you…if this is a lie I'll bet you'll know that too"

She asked "Aren't you tired of messing with me?"  
He stepped closer towards her and she looked hesitant "Yes I am that's why I'm not anymore"

The anger melted into fear on Vera's face "I know you're lying"

Al laughed and took her hand "I made a few promises the first time, and maybe they were fake, this time I'll make you an unbreakable vow that I love you"

She pulled her hand out of his when she saw him take out his wand "Are you mental?!"  
He asked "How else will I prove it?"

Vera stared at him like she couldn't recognize him, he sighed and she asked "If you're with me, what about your ambitions?"

He looked at her "What about them?"  
She was surprised "You've got to be kidding me"

Albus said "I am still going to be ambitious, but I'm going to go after ambitions that I know will make my life better not make my life worse"

Vera wanted to turn away, wanted not to get into this, knew that it was going to be nothing short of hell being with Albus.

He took her hand once again in his "Will…will you…..will….I….."

She smiled in spite of herself "Inarticulate again?"

His world brightened, simply without another word he leaned down and met her lips with his.

Vera let him, let him wrap his hand around her waist, let him convey what he was feeling, let him understand her feelings and forgave him.

She knew she'd give him grief for this for the rest of his life, but for now he was forgiven. For now she was happy, he'd piss the shit out of her later on. He'd kill her with his temper, hurt her with words, push her way when he was moody. He would mock her, yell at her, he'd never take her seriously, he would even lie to her if he felt the need to, he'd hide his feelings from her until she would coax it out of him, but he'd love her. And that was what made the most difference to her.

Vera would never accept love for how the world presented it. She would never be able to be that kind of girlfriend to Al but maybe she could give him something more than that, something she could give nobody else, her trust even if he didn't deserve it because by loving her he'd already earned it.

Albus knew he'd have to prove it to her, it was not going to be easy…..maybe that could become his ambition.

The next morning when Vera woke up and collected the newspaper from the owl, she couldn't help thinking back to the evening and how things played out.

The irritated owl nipped her finger and she jumped "Ow…you little…..right, here you go"

The owl gave her an unimpressed glare and flew out the window.

She stretched, yawning loudly.

Behind her Albus poured two cups of coffee as she leaned down on the dining table watching as the messy haired man walked over and slid the coffee towards her.

He looked at her feeling her stare on him "What?"

She shook her head turning to the coffee and unrolling the newspaper, the Mary Higgins magazine dropping out, that month's issue. Albus took it up "Another successful one"

Vera didn't reply, instead she stared at the front page intently.

She was too absorbed in her reading so Al decided to focus on the coffee and the magazine.

He saw the tiny parchment envelope sitting in the middle of the table with Vera's name on it.

Looking at Vera once he picked it up, opening it.

He made out the distinct hand of Draco Malfoy on the front of it and proceeded to unfold the parchment inside.

He read-

Dear Ms. Carlson

I am extremely shocked at what's been going on at the office. Clearly your loyalties have shifted.

I did not predict in my wildest dreams that this would ever happen but alas.

Of course you're free to choose your suitor but I wish you'd had a little bit more discretion as to who you were actually fraternizing with. I'm sure you wouldn't make such a decision absent-mindedly and I would never dream of interfering in your private life so I do not mind the step you have taken.

But I hope for your sake that you have made the right decision.

Best of luck

Your well-wisher always

Draco Malfoy

Albus raised his eyebrows at the letter then put the parchment back in the envelope.

He looked back at Vera whose face revealed a mixture of shock, anger, laughter, embarrassment and outrage. Her cheeks were a startling shade of red and Albus wondered what sort of news could deserve such a reaction.

Not thinking much he walked over and leaned over her shoulder to find out what was causing such an expression.

When he'd read the headlines and seen the picture he felt the same way as Vera probably did.

The headlines read- "**Albus Potter finds love at the office- A sizzling workplace romance between Boss and employee!**"

After the scandalous headline was a full page picture of the two of them kissing in the middle of the street, quite passionately.

Al couldn't decide what he wanted to do about this wonderfully embarrassing situation.

And it said below the picture- article on Page five.

He grabbed the newspaper from under Vera's nose and turned the pages brutally.

He found the article and began reading furiously.

When he saw a made-up story that was so far from the truth, Albus said "Bullshit"

Vera was reading over Al's shoulder too and he turned to look at her "At least the story is completely false"

She met his eyes "Wait who's the reporter?"

Both of them looked at the print once again and then found- **by guest journalist Scorpius Malfoy**

Al looked at Vera and after a second they both began laughing.

It was such a crappy article with an unbelievable tale of how Al wooed Vera that it was obvious that it was written by someone who either didn't know the two of them at all or knew them too well.

When their laughter subsided, Al looked at Vera "You have a letter from the boss"

He indicated the letter and Vera read it.

She looked up smiling "I guess we're the new hot topic"

Albus asked "So how do you feel about it?"

She took a breathy sigh "Honestly?"

He said "That would be preferable yes"

She rolled her eyes then said "I don't care"

He raised his eyebrows "You don't?"

She shook her head, he nodded "So you're Albus Potter's girlfriend now, you're not wondering how life's going to be?"

She stood in front of him looking up and wrapped her arms around his neck "I know how life's going to be. We'll be making the headlines"

He smiled slowly and she laughed. He kissed her and then she broke it off too quickly "I'm hungry"

He looked at her "I can't believe you"

She pulled away from him "What's not to believe, I am really hungry, do you want breakfast or not?"  
She walked over to the counter to begin the task of making breakfast telling him over her shoulder to get her the ingredients.

Al knew she didn't care if he was irritated, and frankly he didn't either for a change.

* * *

**AN: Okay, so there we go, right. I don't know why but this story has been haunting me for a while.**

**But relocation puts a damper on the writing side of things. Tell me what you think.**

**I apologize for the time taken.**

**Thanks for reading! :)**

**Sahitya Poonacha**


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